Albert Pujols presents Paul Goldschmidt with NL MVP award

Jul 3, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols (5) takes batting practice before the game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Goldschmidt on Thursday learned that he had won his first Most Valuable Player award. The cool part was who presented the award to him.

MLB Network televised the presentation of the NL MVP award to Goldschmidt. They signed up Albert Pujols to share the good news with his former teammate.

From one @Cardinals MVP to another ❤️@PujolsFive | @officialBBWAA pic.twitter.com/186x2j2W9u

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 17, 2022

“Well brother, congratulations. This is the first one of many more hopefully to come. Well deserved. What an honor to play with you this year. What I love about you is just the way that you conduct yourself off the field and on the field. The great teammate that you are. What an honor just to say I played the final year in St. Louis and played I would say with one of the best first basemen in the game right now. So congratulations, enjoy with the family. The first one but hopefully many more to come, brother,” Pujols said.

Goldschmidt won the NL MVP fairly easily. He received 22 of 30 first-place votes. Manny Machado, who finished second in voting, received 7 first-place votes, while Nolan Arenado (3rd in voting) received the other first-place vote. Freddie Freeman (4th) and Mookie Betts (5th) rounded out the top five in NL MVP voting.

Goldshmidt joins Albert Pujols (2005, 2008, 2009), Keith Hernandez (1979), Orlando Cepeda (1967) and Stan Musial (1946) as the other Cardinals first basemen to win NL MVP.

Goldschmidt batted .317 and led the league with his .578 slugging percentage and .981 OPS. He also scored 106 runs, slugged 35 home runs and drove in 115 runs for the NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals.