No. 600 a grand one for Pujols
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols hit his 600th career home run Saturday night, delivering a grand slam to become the ninth player in major league history to reach the mark.
The Los Angeles Angels slugger connected in the fourth inning against Minnesota’s Ervin Santana, driving a high fly into the short left-field porch at Angel Stadium.
The milestone home run is the latest superlative in the 17-year career of Pujols, a 13th-round draft pick who became one of the greatest hitters of his generation.
Pujols, 37, is the fourth-youngest player to hit 600 home runs behind Alex Rodriguez, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. Pujols joins home run kings Barry Bonds and Aaron as the
only players to hit 600 home runs and 600 doubles.
The Dominican veteran is the first player to hit his 600th home run since Jim Thome in August 2011. With his ninth home run this season, Pujols has joined the club with Bonds (762), Aaron (755), Ruth (714), Rodriguez (696), Willie Mays (660), Ken Griffey Jr. (630), Thome (612) and Sammy Sosa (609).
Pujols also became the first player to hit a grand slam for No. 600.
He put a long, looping swing on the struggling Santana’s low pitch, and he briefly stood at the plate to see whether the ball would stay fair. When it did, he rounded the bases to a fusillade of fireworks before greeting his excited teammates at home plate.
“I don’t play here for numbers,” Pujols said this week after hitting No. 599. “My goal since Day 1 when I got to the big leagues was to help the organization that I wear the uniform of. At the end of my career, numbers are numbers. I think I’m going to have plenty of time, but my main goal is to try to win a championship here.
“I’m aware of the history, don’t get me wrong. I respect it, but I think that’s kind of a distraction that I don’t want to bring into the game for me.”
Pujols hit his 599th home run on Tuesday and then went through three consecutive homerless games. The slugger rarely acknowledges the importance of individual accomplishments, but his fellow Angels thought he clearly wanted to reach the milestone at home before they hit the road Monday.
The Angels were excited, too: Mike Trout went to the ballpark right after having thumb surgery Wednesday because he wanted to see Pujols make history — and Trout has returned every night since, his hand in a cast.
“It’s pretty incredible,” Trout said. “Each night he gets a hit or gets an RBI, he’s passing somebody. [On Thursday] he passed Babe Ruth in hits. I think that’s pretty special. It’s remarkable, his career so far. He’s got a lot of baseball left, but I think the biggest thing is 600. That’s special.”
Pujols is in his sixth year with the Angels after beginning his career with 11 spectacular seasons in St. Louis. He became the youngest player to hit 250 home runs and the first to hit 400 home runs in his first 10 big-league seasons while with the Cardinals, and he is the only player ever to hit at least 30 home runs in his first 12 big-league seasons.
The three-time NL MVP has slowed in numerous ways since joining the Angels, who haven’t won a playoff game since giving him a $240 million free-agent contract in December 2011. Pujols doesn’t round the bases or play the field with his youthful vigor, but he still delivers solid pop at the plate as one of the majors’ top RBI producers.