The Angels made the decision Thursday to nominate longtime first baseman Albert Pujols. The future Hall of Famer spent the last decade with the Angels and was in the final year of a $ 10 million contract he signed with the team after leaving the Cardinals after the 2011 MLB season.
The move came as a surprise to many. The production of Pujols had dropped in recent years, but there was no indication that the Angels were going to surpass him.
Even stranger is the obvious reason for Pujols’ release. According to Mike DiGiovanna Los Angeles Times, Pujols was angered that he was not in the lineup to face razor pitcher Ryan Yarbrot on Wednesday night. Yarbot, the veteran slave, had much success in limited action against him, but apparently it was the front office, not Madden, who decided to bench the Pujols.
According to the source, #Angels
The sluggish Albert Pujols was upset that he was not in the lineup to face #Re Bulk LHP Ryan Yarbrot, last night and the decision to bench him came from the front office, not MGR Joe Maddon. Puzols scored 2 HRs, 2 2Bs, 7 RBIs vs. Yarbuf for 9, 6 for 9.
– Mike Divigna May 6, 2021
MORE: What’s next for Albert Puzols upon release from Angels?
Given his numbers against Yarbrot, it is understandable that the Pujols wanted to be in the lineup against him. It is also appropriate for them not to get upset due to the decision of the front. It is certainly out of the ordinary for front office employees not to beat the manager over lineup decisions. One wonders why the front office decided to interfere in this instance, or what they were looking for to accomplish this decision.
With Dexter Fowler for the season, the Pujols were already playing at the Rose base, while Jared Walsh played Fowler’s usual position in right field. Perhaps they want to open up more opportunities for Walsh at first base using the platoon in the outfield, but it is unclear what their strategy is overall.
The Pujols were not hitting particularly well on the year with a .198 average, but had blown five homers in 92 plate appearances. The Angels can certainly do worse at the age of 41 considering their poor bench. But apparently, after this latest decision, the relationship between Pujol and the team was not repaired.
As a result, the two sides parted ways and we were surprised when Pujols finished the line for MLB career. If so, “The Machine” would end up with 667 homers in the books along with three MVP awards, two Gold Gloves and six Silver Slugger awards.
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