Albert Pujols is available to any team that wants him, and it’s logical that perhaps his former manager in St. Louis might be at the front of the line.
However, Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa, who won two World Series titles with Pujols in St. Louis, said Friday that the team has no plans to bring in Pujols. He cited the lack of a role for the former Los Angeles Angel as the key reason why.
“We have Jose (Abreu) and Yermin (Mercedes) and even if Yermin gets less hot, it’s a good way to DH other guys, get them off their feet,” La Russa said, via Jesse Rogers of ESPN. “There is no fit here, unfortunately.”
La Russa has spoken to Pujols since the Angels released the slugger, and the White Sox manager still believes any team that does add Pujols won’t regret it.
“He really believes — and if he believes I believe — he’s got game left,” La Russa said. “I’ll be very interested to see if a club sees the fit because they’ll get a very determined Albert.”
It’s not really clear where Pujols could land. It’s likely going to have to be an American League club, since he’s not really fit to play in the field anymore. He was also hitting just .198 before his release, and despite his legendary status, hasn’t been much of a contributor on offense in recent seasons.
Regardless of his struggles, there’s some definite evidence that Pujols would be a popular addition to many teams.
