Last night, Albert Pujols of the Los Angeles Angels drove in three runs in an extra inning victory over the Chicago White Sox. Those three runs bring his RBI total up to 1847 passing Carl Yastrzemski for 11th on MLB's all time list. Next up is Mel Ott who had 1860.
Pujols needs exactly 451 RBI to pass Hank Aaron, MLB's all-time RBI leader at 2,297. The Angels' slugger is also four home runs shy of 600 and needs 167 to pass Barry Bonds for tops on MLB's all-time HR list. Can he pass one or both of these records?
Pujols has an outside shot. He is 37 and isn't the perennial MVP he was during his days with the St. Louis Cardinals days. If he hit 35 home runs and drove in 120 runs in 2017 and maintained that pace through 2020 he could do it. But this would require Pujols staying healthy. He has a long history of plantar fasciitis and had surgery on his foot this past off season.
Although it would be wonderful if Pujols attained one never mind both of these records it wouldn't be necessary. If Pujols retired today he would be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
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