Albert Pujols says that the end of his current contract does not necessarily mean the end of his playing career.
Pujols is 40 and in the ninth of his 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels. He will be in his age 41 season during the final year of his lengthy contract, which expires after next season. There has been an assumption that given his declining abilities, Pujols would retire after his contract ends, but the veteran is not so sure.
Pujols told ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez that he hasn’t made that decision yet.
“It’s my last year under contract, but that doesn’t mean I can’t keep playing. I haven’t closed that door. I’m taking it day by day, year by year, but you haven’t heard from my mouth that I’m going to retire next year, or that it’s going to be my last year, or that I’m going to keep playing. I haven’t said any of that. When that time comes, we’ll see. Just because you have one year left on your contract doesn’t mean it’s your last year. It could be, but it could not be. God hasn’t put that in my heart yet,” Pujols told Gonzalez.
Pujols’ comments came in the context of an article from Pujols telling Gonzalez about how he is spending his time during the quarantine.
Pujols’ contract calls for him to earn $29 million this season and $30 million next season. He has a 10-year, $10 million personal services contract with the Angels that begins after that. Even if he wants to play beyond next season, the decision may not be up to him entirely. There probably will not be a large market for a .240 hitting DH whose ability is declining.
