Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols owns 583 career home runs, placing him 10th on the all-time list with two more than notorious slugger Mark McGwire (581), per Baseball-Reference.com.
Nicknamed "The Machine" for his yearly consistency at the plate (also earning him a Sportscenter commercial), Pujols has played fewer than 100 games just once in his 16-year career—falling one game shy of the mark in 2013.
Pujols' accomplishments at the plate earned him Rookie of the Year honors in 2001 and three MVP awards (2005, 2008, 2009), but he wasn't exactly a slouch defensively either. The 36-year-old has taken home two Gold Gloves as well.
While his age has finally caught up to him and forced him to serve the majority of his games at designated hitter for the Angels, it's just the first time in his career that's been the case.
Even if his defense has deteriorated, Pujols continues to serve as an asset at the dish. He's tied for second in the American League with 101 RBIs, even though his rate statistics have declined since his prime years in St. Louis.
Pujols and McGwire actually had a small overlap in their careers—Pujols was a rookie in McGwire's final season, and the 21-year-old (at the time) looked up to his veteran teammate. These days, the roles of the two are somewhat reversed.
While McGwire's career has been arguably tainted by the use of steroids, Pujols has never tested positive for any substance. That hasn't removed him from the discussion, but he's not on the same blacklist of players that have been closely associated with PED use.
When "El Hombre" does finally hang up the cleats and glove, it shouldn't take more than five years (the first year eligible for induction after retirement) to enshrine him in Cooperstown, a well-deserved icing on the cake for an impressive career.
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