Latest news with #Pujols
Forbes
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Clayton Kershaw Joins The Exclusive 3,000 Strikeout Club
In his 338th career start, Clayton Kershaw recorded his 3,000 strikeout. (Photo by Nicole ... More Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) It started innocently enough. Sunday, May 25, 2008. At 1:10 p.m., under the bright sun at Dodger Stadium. The St. Louis Cardinals – a team that would come to torment the pitcher at various times in his career – in town finishing a three-game series. The Dodgers, looking to avoid the sweep, sent their rookie left-hander to the mound for his first major league start. He wore #54. The first batter Clayton Kershaw faced as a big leaguer was his eventual teammate, Skip Schumaker. His first major league pitch was called a ball. His second was called a strike. Schumaker then fouled off four straight pitches before striking out on a fastball. One batter, one strikeout. A sign of things to come. The next batter, someone named Brian Barton, walked on four pitches. Nerves, maybe? Future teammate and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols was next, and he promptly doubled to deep left center to score Barton. Three batters, one walk, one K, one hit, and one earned run. Kershaw righted the ship, striking out Ryan Ludwick and Troy Glaus to finish his first inning. When his day was over, after five innings and a total of 102 pitches, Kershaw struck out seven Cardinals, allowing only one additional walk and one additional run. He left the game poised for the win, but Jonathan Braxton blew the save (a happenstance that the big lefty would need to get used to), before the Dodgers won the game with a run in the 10th inning. Nearly five years later, on April 17, 2013, in his 156th game, he recorded strikeout number 1,000, also with a fastball, sending Yander Alonzo back to the dugout. Four years after that, on June 2, 2017, career game number 283, another fastball felled the Brewers' Jonathan Villar for number 2,000, which was one of 14 strikeouts that day in Milwaukee. It would take another eight years. It would take an additional 166 trips to the mound. It would take more than ten trips to the injured list. It would take career lows ('more downs than I care to admit,' Kershaw would later say) and multiple one-year contracts after repeatedly contemplating retirement. It would take getting the post-season monkey off his back by winning the 2020 World Series, and then watching from the sidelines with two injuries as his teammates won another in 2024. It would take the heart of a lion and the strength of a bear to continue to battle father time and the frailty of the human condition. Prior to Wednesday night in Los Angeles, only 19 pitchers had ever recorded 3,000 strikeouts (by comparison, 24 have 300 wins). Only three lefties had done it (Steve Carlton, Randy Johnson, and CC Sabathia – Hall of Famers, all). Only four had done so with one team (Walter Johnson, Bob Gibson, Carlton, and John Smoltz, but the latter two also played for other teams in their career). There are only two active players who are members of the club; the two pitchers who, with Kershaw, make up the troika of this generation's best pitchers: Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. In Kershaw's last four games prior to Wednesday night, he had recorded 7, 5, 4, and 5 strikeouts. So, when he toed the rubber at Chavez Ravine to face the Chicago White Sox, needing only three additional Ks to join the 3,000 club, the 53,536 in attendance expected to witness history. And Kershaw tantalized the crowd for much of the first few innings, going to two-strike counts on the first four batters, seven out of the first nine, and eight out of the first eleven, before recording his first strikeout in the third inning. Kershaw would not record another strikeout until there were two outs in the fifth, finishing off second baseman Lenyn Sosa on his 92nd pitch, which matched his season-high. Kershaw admitted that he could feel the tension with the fans. The murmurs in the ballpark were that Dave Roberts wouldn't have the temerity to not send Kershaw back out for the sixth inning. On the broadcast, the announcers explained that Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, and Kiké Hernández stood in front of Roberts, glaring at him, daring him to remove their friend, their comrade, their beloved teammate from the game. Roberts smiled and offered a thumbs up, denoting that Kershaw was good to go. The irony of the moment was that the story of Kershaw's career has been being kept in the game one batter or one inning too long. There have been countless occasions when he was asked to get another batter, another few outs, when his weary body was simply incapable of doing so. Roberts and co. were tempting fate and begging history not to repeat itself. The fans, kept in suspense about Roberts' decision, roared when Kershaw stepped out of the dugout and jogged to the mound. In his post-game interview, the weary pitcher said that the crowd's reaction to his coming back out to pitch in the sixth inning is something he will remember forever. Kershaw got Mike Tauchman to ground out to first to start the frame. Michael A. Taylor laced a 1-0 pitch down the left field line for a double. He then tried to steal third, but Will Smith cut him down. Unfortunately, Taylor collided with Muncy, which resulted in a prolonged delay as the third baseman was helped from the field (imagining will be completed on Thursday to determine the extent of the injury). Kershaw took a few warm up throws while Hernández got loose as Muncy's replacement, but one wondered if the additional delay would adversely affect the 37-year old hurler. A 91 MPH fastball to rookie Vinny Capra, who was not yet twelve years old when Kershaw made his major league debut, made it 0-1. A curveball in the dirt squared the count. Capra, who hails from the land down under, swung over an 86 MPH slider to bring Kershaw one strike away and the crowd to its feet. What followed was an 85 MPH slider on the outside corner that Kershaw would later say wasn't where it was supposed to be. Regardless, when home plate umpire Jim Wolf turned to his right and called Capra out, history was made. In the aftermath, the Dodgers did not swarm Kershaw. Rather, they allowed him to walk off the field on his own, soaking up the adulation two hours, six innings, and eighteen years in the making. Kershaw saluted the crowd and blew kisses to his family in the second deck. When Kershaw finally made it to the dugout, his teammates began a procession of hugs, culminating with a giant embrace by his skipper, the man who has relied on him and possibly pushed him too hard too many times over the past 10 years, but whose faith in the pitcher has never wavered. And then the PA announcer directed the fans to DodgerVision, which showed a three-minute montage of Kershaw's greatest hits. Forget the 2:25 between inning time limit, the celebration ran for at least five minutes, and neither the Dodgers nor the White Sox gave one lick. Rules were made to be broken. Clayton Kershaw salutes the Dodgers fans after striking out Vinny Capra to record his 3,000th career ... More strikeout. (Photo by) Kershaw made history on his 100th pitch, two-thirds of which were strikes. But, he left the game trailing 4-2. The Dodgers wasted opportunities in the seventh and eighth, and it looked as if Kershaw might get his first loss of the season on one of the biggest nights of his career. Fear not. Michael Conforto, who robbed extra bases in the first inning to keep the White Sox from blowing open the game, singled to lead off the bottom of the 9th. Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim then walked to load the bases with no outs for Shohei Ohtani. The stage was set for an historic ending, but Ohtani grounded into a run-scoring force out, making it 4-3. Mookie Betts followed with a sacrifice fly to even things up. With Will Smith at the plate, Ohtani stole second. Smith eventually walked, bringing up World Series hero Freddie Freeman. Freeman, who has been struggling of late, lined the first pitch he saw into right field to score Ohtani and give the Dodgers the win. The Dodgers celebrate Freddie Freeman's walk-off single on Clayton Kershaw's big night. (Photo by ... More) The lights in Dodger Stadium flickered, Randy Newman's 'I Love L.A.' blared from the speakers, the crowd went wild, and another chapter in this storied franchise was written. As Dave Roberts said after the game, 'It happened the way it was supposed to happen.'
Hamilton Spectator
25-04-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
The Blue Jays have Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for 14 more years. Do massive contracts for first basemen age well?
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s massive 14-year, $500 million (U.S.) contract extension will take the 26-year-old Blue Jays slugger into his age 40 season, when few MLB players remain productive. There's no reason to panic — yet — but Toronto's newly minted $500-million man has been rather ordinary through the first 24 games of the season, There's no reason to panic — yet — but Toronto's newly minted $500-million man has been rather ordinary through the first 24 games of the season, Front offices have paid the price for handing out hefty extensions, often locking down the elite players' prime years by overpaying for the back ends of their careers. Here's a look at the richest contracts given to first basemen and how they panned out. 2011: 10 years, $240 million, L.A. Angels Despite Pujols's status as a near-lock Hall of Famer, his production during his 10-year, $240 million contract at least slightly tarnishes his legacy. After a dozen video game-like seasons in St. Louis, Pujols headed to the Angels in 2011 as a 32-year-old who already had three MVP seasons and won six Silver Slugger Awards. His first seasons in Los Angeles were by no means bad, but nothing compared to his past mastery. St. Louis (2001-11): .328/.420/.617 (1.037 OPS), 445 homers, or one HR every roughly 17 plate appearances. Los Angeles (2012-16): .266/.325/.474 (.799 OPS), 146 HR, or one every roughly 21 PAs. Los Angeles (2017-20): .242/.291/.406 (.697 OPS), 71 HR, or one every roughly 26 PAs. He was designated for assignment early on in the contract's last season, with $30 million still remaining. 2014: Eight years, $248 million, Detroit After a four-year run in which he hit 156 home runs, had a sterling .337 batting average, earned two American League MVPs and became the first player since 1967 to win the Triple Crown, the Tigers inked Cabrera to a massive extension to carry him through his age 40 season. While the gamble can't completely be considered a failure — Cabrera was worth nearly five wins above replacement in each of the extension's first two seasons and won two Silver Slugger Awards — his value quickly plummeted; by 2020, he was practically a league-average hitter and, save for a burst of productivity that earned him a spot in the All-Star Game in 2022, faded away before retiring at the end of the 2023 season. 2012: Nine years, $214 million, Detroit Fielder's mammoth contract was ultimately truncated by neck problems that forced him to stop playing in 2016 while with the Rangers. The contract came come off the heels of Fielder's exceptional final season with the Brewers in 2011 in which he played all 162 games and drove in 120 runs, before he left for Detroit. He only managed to appear in 613 games in the five seasons that followed, but slashed a worthy .283/.369/.453. He also did play all 162 games in his first two seasons with the Tigers before the neck injury slowed him down. 2012: 10 years, $225 million, Cincinnati The Toronto native (and future Blue Jay) was coming off a 6.6 WAR season with the Reds when he signed what was, at the time, the largest contract for a Canadian-born player. His productivity wavered over the course of the decade-long deal, but Votto still managed to put up some impressive seasons in 2013 and 2017, garnering four all-star selections and hitting 237 home runs in more than 1,400 games during the lifespan of the deal. In his final season in Cincinnati, however, he hit for a .202 average and logged just 242 plate appearances while he dealt with injuries and the Reds declined his $20 million option for 2024. He then signed a minor-league contract in Toronto , but never appeared in a big-league game for his hometown team after suffering a sprained ankle in spring training and eventually retired.
USA Today
08-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Exclusive: Albert Pujols wants to make history as MLB's first manager with 700 HR
Exclusive: Albert Pujols wants to make history as MLB's first manager with 700 HR Show Caption Hide Caption With the Dodgers favored to repeat, is the MLB becoming too top-heavy? Bob Nightengale and Gabe Lacques discuss whether or not the MLB is lacking parity and could be facing a potential problem in the future. Sports Seriously TEMPE, Ariz. − He is one of only four players in history to hit 700 home runs, along with Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds. He and Aaron are the only two players to hit 700 home runs and drive in 2,000 runs. He and Ruth are the only players to hit 700 home runs and win a World Series championship. Now, Albert Pujols is daring to go where no 700 home-run hitter has gone before. Pujols, 45, is ready to become the first 700-homer hitter to be a major-league manager. 'For me, I've always been serious about everything that I do in this game," Pujols told USA TODAY Sports, 'and now I'm serious about managing. This game has done so much for me, and now, I want to give back. 'I'm ready." Life after retirement Pujols, the 11-time All-Star, three-time MVP, two-time World Series champion who hit 703 homers and drove in 2,218 runs, retired after the 2022 season. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do next, but knew he wanted to stay in the game. He became a special assistant to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. He worked as an analyst for the MLB Network. And he showed up every spring as a guest instructor for the Los Angeles Angels as part of his 10-year, $10 million personal services contract. Then, last February when Jose Miguel Bonetti, one of the owners of Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League, telephoned Pujols once again trying to persuade him to manage. It was a short winter-ball season. He could be home in the Dominican Republic where his wife, Nicole Fernandez, the daughter of former Dominican president Leonel Fernandez, was born and raised. Why not? The next thing Pujols knew, he's leading Leones del Escogido to the playoffs, then the Dominican League championship, then the Caribbean Series championship. Now, the Dominican Republic national team, under GM Nelson Cruz, is hiring Pujols to manage its star-studded group for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Pujols can't wait, but there could be one little snag to those plans. He might be tied up managing a major-league team next spring. 'He's ready," said Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa, who managed Pujols 11 years in St. Louis. 'And he's going to be great. 'You talk about integrity. You talk about his IQ. You talk about his discipline. I call him APP, Albert Perfect Pujols. When a guy has that much to offer and has so much love for the game, the game benefits when he wants to stay active and share.'' Says Angels GM Perry Minasian: 'I remember the old-school managers back in the day whether it was Tom Kelly or Sparky Anderson or Tommy Lasorda or Whitey Herzog, there was a presence when they walked into the room. The volume in the room would go a little lower. The shoulders of the players would go back a little more. And Albert has that presence wherever he goes. 'He's just a winning guy, he'll be great whatever he wants to do." Mentors convinced Pujols will be successful There's a long list of All-Star and Hall of Fame players who have struggled as managers. Many of the managerial greats actually had short or mediocre playing careers. But it's a lazy narrative to suggest bench players make the best managers. There are plenty of cases where All-Stars became Hall of Fame-caliber managers. Joe Torre was a nine-time All-Star and batting champion, leading the Yankees to four World Series enroute to the Hall of Fame. Dusty Baker was a two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove winner, leading five different teams to the postseason winning three pennants and a World Series title. Lou Piniella was an All-Star and two-time World Series champion, and led three different teams to the playoffs and a World Series championship. 'The key is not whether you're a great player or not, but whether you have that love for the game," La Russa said. 'Torre, Dusty, they love the game. And Albert loves the game. He always had the mental side commitment, and was inquisitive, always talking about the game. 'I don't want to be critical, but there are guys who were great players in our game, gave it all they got, and then needed to back off. So, if you have somebody with the kind of greatness like Albert, and is still motivated to stay close to the game, it's a win-win for all of us.'' San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt, who has known Pujols since 2005 in their days together in St. Louis, is convinced that Pujols will be an overwhelming success. 'I truly believe he's doing to be a tremendous asset to any organization,'' Shildt said. 'A lot about managing is caring about people, and Albert does that. He has such attention to detail. He's very clear in his messaging, a very principled guy with a great reputation. Really, he's almost out of central casting for a manager. 'You always observed his talent, but you appreciated the work and how this guy competed. Some guys are naturally gifted, but Albert used his brain and talent to become one of the best right-handed hitters in the history of the game. I never saw this guy give away anything in work or competition. I remember one spring it's 7 in the morning and he's fielding grounders from [coach] Dave McKay. He says, 'Albert, you may want to ease into this.' Albert says, 'What do you mean? It's time to go. It's time to work.' There was another time when it was the first spring-training game of the year, I look around, and there's Albert sitting there, grinding a towel over his head with that grimace, stalking the pitcher like he was stalking his prey. 'So, when he told me last year that he was going to manage in winter ball, I knew it wasn't some gimmick. He was going to take it seriously. It was clear he had a tremendous experience, and now he's ready to take the next steps. He has such love and passion for the game that it's important for the game to recognize and support a guy like Albert with his legacy." Pujols wants to give back to the game The way Pujols sees it, it's a way to give back. He certainly doesn't need the money, earning about $350 million in his playing career. He will cruise into the Hall of Fame when he's eligible for induction in 2028. And he has plenty going on in his life with four kids and new wife without putting in 12-hour days at the ballpark. 'But at the end of the day, man, you want to give back," Pujols said. 'This opportunity came really quick for me because I wasn't looking for it.'' When Bonetti approached him for the third time to manage, Pujols still wasn't sure he was ready. He was out of the game only for a year. He was newly married. And he knew there would be a whole lot of pressure to succeed. Bonetti persisted, calling and calling. He finally convinced Pujols to go to lunch for a serious conversation. By the time Pujols put down his knife and fork, he agreed. 'I wasn't curious about how much I'd like it,'' Pujols said, 'because when you're in the game as long as I've been, this is all you know. So, I knew I'd like it. And I'm the kind of person if I'm going to try something, I'm going to take it seriously. I wasn't going to waste my time. 'For me, it was the competition that I really loved. And doing it in your country, the team that you grew up rooting for as a little boy, it was pretty sweet. It meant so much for me and everyone in the Dominican." And, yes, that familiar feeling of being in the middle of a championship celebration sure felt good, even if there was no bottle of champagne to be found. 'Down there, they don't use champagne,'' Pujols said. 'It's just beer and water. They don't use champagne. It's too expensive." Anyone who has been around Pujols wasn't surprised in the least that he delivered a championship. Angels owner Arte Moreno fired off a congratulatory text message to him after the game. It simply re-affirmed Minasian's belief that Pujols could be a great manager. 'I always felt his baseball acumen is second-to-none," Minasian said. 'His desire to win is second-to-none. And his ability to connect with all different kind of players, and make players believe in themselves is a hell of an attribute. 'Just the person, take the baseball part of it out, is impressive. The honesty. The belief. Everything. I think he can do whatever he wants in this game.'' Next stop: 2026 World Baseball Classic Next stop: The World Baseball Classic. It could feature a Who's Who lineup of Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, Jose Ramirez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Elly De La Cruz, Julio Rodriguez, Fernando Tatis, Rafael Devers and Ketel Marte. 'That," Pujols said, 'is going to be awesome. A lot of responsibility because you're representing not just one team, but an entire country. I'm pretty pumped up.'' Just hearing Pujols' introductory speech to this array of talent could be worthy of a documentary. The Angels players still are raving about Pujols' 45-minute meeting with their hitters on Monday, with La Russa stopping in and had pitchers even sneaking into the meeting. 'It was so good," Angels three-time MVP Mike Trout said. 'He talked about approach, preparation, routine, and how important it was to carry that routine out. For a guy with all of that knowledge, and being in the trenches for that long, and being on teams that won, it was great to hear his message. 'I think he's going to be a great, great manager." Pujols called his speech a collection of knowledge from his early years with the Cardinals, listening to stories from Lou Brock, Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, Red Schoendienst, Joe Buck and Mike Shannon. They took the time to talk to him, and now he's paying it forward. 'Now I have the responsibility to help these young players," Pujols said. 'That's my job. I need to share that same knowledge. I love to talk about the game and talk about the blessings that the Lord has given me in my career. 'I told them, 'You see how much passion comes out of me talking to you guys, and it's because I was taught by so many other great players before me. They opened that path and helped me to get to where I am today.'' Pujols will now wait to see if anyone calls this summer or in the off-season with any managerial vacancies. If someone is interested, they'll know where to find him. 'I'm open, you know,'' Pujols said. 'Right now, I have the responsibility with the World Baseball Classic, but if any opportunity opens up and somebody call me and wants to interview me, I will evaluate it for sure. 'I'd love the opportunity to give back to the game of baseball. I know I don't have the experience as a manager, but 23 years in this game, you go through a lot. I'm talking about experience from baseball, being on the field and in the locker room. It's not going from a university to try to be a manager and not having any baseball experience. Old-school mentality can help young mentality. I've learned from some of the best managers in the game. I believe with my experience, and the way I can communicate with players, I can have success. 'I just need someone to take a chance on me. I don't know how long it's going to take, but I'll be in the corner waiting. If they give me the opportunity, I can promise you that I'm going to do my best to prepare the team to win a World Series. Is that a guarantee? No. But I can guarantee that I will prepare the guys to play the game just like I did with that mentality and toughness." It's not all that different from three-time World Series champion Buster Posey becoming the San Francisco Giants' president of the baseball operations. Or All-Star pitcher Chris Young to becoming GM of the Texas Rangers and leading them to the 2023 World Series title. Or for Hall of Famer Derek Jeter to become CEO of the Miami Marlins for four years. 'I love it," said Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who managed Pujols in 2021. 'It's just really rare that a guy who accomplished so much on the field wants to continue to grind in coaching and managing. 'But I think the game needs him. I think he needs the game as well, clearly." Certainly, for what Pujols has given to the game, it's time for the game to give back to him, too. 'People that have given so much to the game," Minasian said, 'and still have a lot to give even after playing, is going to have a positive effect on any organization. 'The game is better with Albert Pujols in it." Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
New York Times
02-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Albert Pujols will manage Dominican Republic in World Baseball Classic, sees path to MLB
TEMPE, Ariz. — In past years, when Albert Pujols came as a guest instructor to Angels camp, he was in the more immediate aftermath of his playing career. One of the greatest all-time players, he was still a novice to the game's teaching element. This time, however, he arrived as his coaching career has taken off, and he's hoping to take the next steps of leveraging his legendary playing career into the role of a big league skipper. Advertisement More immediately, Pujols confirmed reports that he will manage the Dominican Republic, his home country, in the World Baseball Classic next year. The move comes after Pujols won a Dominican Winter League championship this year, leading Escogido to a title over Licey. 'I feel really proud, not just to be able to represent my country as a player, when I did it,' Pujols said of his WBC duties. 'But now to be able to lead a great group of guys, I'm really excited. I'm really pumped up.' Pujols, 45, has said he views these managerial opportunities as a chance to grow, with the ultimate goal of becoming a big league manager some time in the not-too-distant future. He left open the possibility of taking over the reins as a skipper somewhere, as soon as 2026. He already has a host of responsibilities, in addition to his winter ball and WBC gigs. He's also a special assistant to Commissioner Rob Manfred, an MLB Network analyst, and is paid $1 million annually by the Angels as part of his 10-year personal services contract. A big league managerial role would likely supersede all of that for Pujols. 'If the opportunity is right and they open the door for me, I always say openly that I want an opportunity here in the big leagues,' he said. 'I think being in Winter League and doing it this year, it gave me the experience that I needed. I think it prepared me for the big job.' Pujols retired from playing after the 2022 season, which he spent back with the Cardinals. He hit 703 home runs and won two World Series rings during his 22-year legendary run. He'll be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2028, but clearly hopes to be leading a club well before that. Angels manager Ron Washington lauded Pujols as a great presence in camp, given his experience and accomplishments. 'It won't be long before he has a managing job, that's for sure.' Advertisement 'Time will tell, whenever the opportunity comes,' Pujols said. 'If there is some team knocking this year or next year, then why not? Right now, I have a job, which is focusing on the World Baseball Classic. But if there is any club knocking on the door, I would be open to hear that.' Pujols arrived in Tempe on Sunday to spend several days at Angels big league camp before going to work with the organization's minor leaguers in Scottsdale. He said he also spends some time every year at their complex in the Dominican. The soon-to-be Hall of Famer spent 10 seasons with the Angels, where he made the playoffs just once and did not win a postseason game. When asked how close he felt the organization was to putting a winning product on the field, Pujols lauded his former club. 'I think they put a winning product (on the field) every year,' he said. 'I think the problem is injuries. When you've got the guys that you're counting on getting hurt, it's hard to replace those guys. The biggest things is that, I think if the organization is able to keep guys healthy, guys being on the field and produce, I think we have a pretty good chance to win a championship.'
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Albert Pujols to manage Dominican Republic in 2026 World Baseball Classic: Report
The Dominican Republic has a new manager for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and it stands to be a popular hire. Albert Pujols has been chosen to take over the D.R.'s dugout as it attempts to win its second WBC title, according to ESPN. Nelson Cruz, the team's general manager reportedly plans to make an official announcement by the end of March. Pujols just finished up his first stint as a manager, leading the Leones del Escogido to their first title in more than a decade in the D.R.'s LIDOM this winter. On the national team, Pujols will take over for Rodney Linares, currently the Tampa Bay Rays' bench coach. The team is coming off a disappointing 2023 WBC in which it shockingly failed to make it out of group play due to losses to Venezuela and Puerto Rico. In the five holdings of the WBC since 2006, the international baseball powerhouse has won only once, its undefeated run in 2013. That was also the last time it even reached the semifinals, which it has only done so twice. The 2026 team has plenty of potential players who could try to break that slump. The 2023 team featured Juan Soto, Julio Rodríguez, Willy Adames, Rafael Devers, Manny Machado, Sandy Alcantara and Cristian Javier, and there are other Dominican players out there such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., José Ramírez and Elly De La Cruz, Luis Castillo, Framber Valdez and Emmanuel Clase. Some of those players play the same position, but part of Pujols' job will be to get as many of them on the field as possible for the WBC. Pujols was a member of the D.R.'s first WBC team in 2006, but didn't play in another one for the rest of his career.
