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Albert Pujols got a taste of management during the World Baseball Classic, and it appears he’s caught the fever.
The St. Louis Cardinals legend could have rested after hitting 703 home runs during his illustrious career, but he loves the game and continues to be in it.
But he wants to go further, and given Major League Baseball’s recent executive layoffs, Pujols said he’s waiting for the right opportunity.
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Manager Albert Pujols of the Dominican Republic team participates in a practice session for the 2026 World Baseball Classic at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida on March 12, 2026. (Gene Wang/Media Capture/Getty Images)
“My name is in the hat,” Pujols told PK Press Club Digital. “I mean, look, I’m not going to force it. I think when the opportunity presents itself, I’ve never been the player to force things. I let things come to me and I prepared myself.
“My dad used to tell me: Control what you can control. Don’t try to control things that are beyond your control. So I’m waiting for an opportunity. If it happens, great, I’ll be ready. If it doesn’t happen, then I’m really excited and happy with the career I have.”
Pujols knows, however, that being an MLB manager is a thankless job.
“When you win, the team wins. When you lose, the manager loses,” he joked.
Albert Pujols looks on after hitting his 700th career home run during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles on September 23, 2022. (Ashley Landis/AP)
But other aspects of management, Pujols says, “have changed a lot,” particularly with the increase in front offices’ share of daily lineups.
“I played three periods: 2001 to 2010, 2010 to 20, then 2020 to 22. So, I saw it all. I saw this game so strange, but I think at the end of the day, I think that communication, whether it’s with the front office, as a manager, your communication with your general manager is so important, because it’s going to trickle down to the players,” he said. declared.
If Pujols’ first managerial job is anything like his time at the World Baseball Classic, he’d be pretty happy.
“Having all the talent that we had, representing our country at the World Baseball Classic, it wasn’t about teaching this guy how to play. These guys were professional. They know how to play,” Pujols said. “It was more about their responsibility and little things that allowed me to help them, and, you know, write that lineup and try to be out there and make decisions and put together the best lineup to win games.”
Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals gestures to the sky after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri on October 2, 2022. (Scott Kane/Getty Images)
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The Boston Red Sox fired Alex Cora and a few days later the Philadelphia Phillies relieved Rob Thomson of his duties. New York Mets fans are clamoring for Carlos Mendoza to get the axe, but he remains at his position.
