Former Angel Albert Pujols Wants to Manage One Specific Team

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 23, 2024

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Former Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols hasn't shied away from telling folks what he wants the next chapter of his baseball career to look like.

He wants to be a manager, and reiterated that in an interview conducted in Spanish with Victor Baez.

Pujols said in the interview that he would love to manage the Dominican Republic team in the next World Baseball Classic.

“It would be an honor for me,” Pujols said, via Baez.

Pujols was a guest instructor at Angels spring training this year, fulfilling one of the obligations of his 10-year, $10-million personal services contract with owner Arte Moreno. It was there when Pujols revealed that he would love to return to spring training with a different title.

“Yeah,” Pujols said when asked if he wanted to manage in the big leagues. “I think, you know, why not? If the opportunity is right one day, I think I’ll be ready for that.”

The 44-year-old retired after the 2022 season but he hasn't laid low. Retirement has brought him more opportunities to work as a special assistant to Commissioner Rob Manfred, an on-air analyst for the MLB Network, and as the manager of Leones del Escogido, the Dominican Winter League club he grew up watching.

Grateful to receive my first Sports Emmy. Thank you to everyone @MLBNetwork and the entire team. pic.twitter.com/CO3adVJb5Q

— Albert Pujols (@PujolsFive) May 23, 2024

“It’s a new chapter in my life, something that I want to do, and it’s great to be able to do it in your own country for an organization that has won 17 league championships,” Pujols said about managing in the Dominican. “I think of it as an opportunity to hopefully get a job up here in the big leagues someday.”

Pujols won three National League Most Valuable Player awards and two World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals, became the fourth member of the 700-homer club, and racked up 3,384 hits, 2,218 runs batted in and 1,914 runs scored throughout his storied career.

Pujols played the first 11 seasons of his career for the Cardinals before signing with the Angels on a 10-year, $240-million deal in Dec. 2011. He spent the next seven seasons with the Angels and finished his career bouncing between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cardinals.

Pujols hoped that managing in the Dominican Winter League would help get him on board with a major league club. If he doesn't get hired to be on a staff soon then perhaps the Dominican Republic will consider him for the managerial position for the World Baseball Classic.