Pujols gets one more chance at Home Run Derby title
Veteran Cardinals designated hitter Albert Pujols will participate in his fifth Home Run Derby as part of an eightman field in the July 18 competition at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
The future Hall of Famer came up short in 2003, 2007, 2009 and 2015. He and Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera were added to the All-Star rosters as special selections by Commissioner Rob Manfred.
Pujols will make his 11th All-Star appearance and participate in the Derby at one of his former homes. He played 85 games with the Dodgers last season after being cut by the Los Angeles Angels, then signed with St. Louis before this season, which he has said will be his last.
The 42-year-old Pujols has five homers this season and 684 in his career, fifth on the career list.
“It’s an honor to be back in the All-Star Game and to have a chance to be part of the Home Run Derby, that’s something I enjoy a lot and my kids will have a blast,” Pujols said.
“Hopefully, I can put on a good show for them, because at the end of the day, it’s not about us, it’s about putting a good show for the fans.”
On Monday, Pujols passed Stan Musial on the career extra-base hits list in the Cardinals’ 6-1 win over the Phillies.
Pujols doubled off the right field wall to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning, just missing a home run, to take sole possession of third place with 1,378 extra base hits. He snapped a tie with Musial, passing the Cardinals great to join a top three including Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds.
“It’s really special,” Pujols said. “Doing it here in front of our fans is even better.”
So far the Home Run Derby participants are the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber, the Mets’ Pete Alonso, Braves’
Ronald Acuña Jr., Nationals’ Juan Soto and Pujols, with more spots to be filled.
Alonso will try to become the first player to win the All-Star Home Run Derby three consecutive times
TUESDAY’S GAME
Guardians 4, White Sox 1: Shane Bieber pitched a three-hitter for his first complete game this year and Jose Ramirez and Amed Rosario drove in two runs apiece, sending host Cleveland to victory in a doubleheader opener.
Bieber (4-5) struck out seven and walked none in just the 17th complete game in the major leagues this season. He had been 0-2 in six starts since beating Baltimore on June 3, the longest winless streak of his career.
The 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner carried a one-hit shutout into the seventh en route to his first complete game since Aug. 4, 2019.
“Yeah, I enjoyed that,” Bieber said, smiling. “I was able to go out there and be efficient and get through nine. I feel really good right now, so I’ve just got to keep rolling and keep building off the last one.”
LATE MONDAY
Mets 4, Braves 1:
Max Scherzer pitched seven strong innings to help New York defeat
Max Fried and the Braves in the opening game of their NL East showdown at Atlanta.
Scherzer (6-1) gave up only three hits, including
Austin Riley’s 24th homer in the seventh. That cut the Mets’ lead to 2-1, but Luis Guillorme answered with his solo drive off Darren O’Day in the eighth.
Former Mets second baseman Robinson Cano, obtained by Atlanta for $1 in a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres on Sunday, had two hits in his Braves debut.
Rays 10, Red Sox 5:
Yandy Diaz had three hits, scored three times and drove in three runs, sending host Tampa Bay to the victory.
Diaz’s 10th multihit game since June 26 raised his batting average to .500 (27 for 54) over his past 15 games.
ELSEWHERE
Phillies: The team is without J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm, Aaron Nola and Kyle Gibson during a two-game series in Toronto that began Tuesday due to Canadian restrictions on unvaccinated travelers.
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski said before the game that the four players will be placed on the restricted list and forfeit two days of pay and major-league service time in accordance with the terms of MLB’s collective bargaining agreement.
“I’m not going to let Canada tell me what I do and don’t put in my body for a little bit of money,” said Realmuto, a threetime All-Star. “It’s just not worth it.”