Albert Pujols is looking to prove that he can still be a productive player even as he approaches his 40th birthday, and the slugger says the knee injury that prematurely ended his 2018 season will not stand in the way this year.
On Sunday, Pujols met with the media and said he expects his knee to be fully recovered in time for Opening Day.
Albert Pujols met with the media today. Said his knee is healthy and he will be ready for Opening Day. He isn't sure if he will play in Cactus League games right away but has plenty of time to get ready for the season.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) February 17, 2019
Pujols underwent arthroscopic surgery in late August, and he was ruled out for the remainder of the year with the Angels not in playoff contention. He batted .245 with 19 home runs, 64 RBI and an OPS of just .700 — the second-lowest total of his career — in 117 games.
Anything the Angels get from Pujols is essentially a bonus at this point, as his massive contract has been a bust for the team and they still owe him a whopping $87 million over the next three years. He seemed optimistic about his physical condition heading into last year, but that didn’t pan out. Most Angels fans want the team to move on from Pujols so they can develop other players.
