The magic number is down to five! Future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols is just five home runs away from 700 for his immaculate career. There is just one month of baseball remaining. Can one of history's best hitters reach 700? It's time to continue our MLB odds series with an Albert Pujols career home run prediction and pick.
The St. Louis Cardinals will likely be a playoff team this year and Pujols will be a part of it. At age 42, The Machine is still getting the job done. He has 16 home runs on the season and 43 RBIs to go along with it. His OPS is .857 and his batting average currently sits at .266. (Stats prior to Thursday, Sept 8).
Pujols hasn't hit 16 home runs in a season since 2019 when he hit 23 for the Los Angeles Angels. It's safe to say that Pujols knows what is in front of him and that his motivation to reach 700 has been a huge boost for his power.
His final two years for the Angels did not go well. Most wrote him off and figured his career was over. Instead, he kept playing and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021. He only played in 85 games for them but did hit 12 homers which has clearly helped his career total. Because of that, Pujols now has a chance to reach the 700-mark in what might be his final season.
In July, The Machine participated in the 2022 Home Run Derby, which was won by fellow Dominican product Juan Soto. Pujols got the recognition he deserved as he put on a clinic at the derby in front of the fans in LA.
With a historical mark close to happening, FanDuel has provided odds on Albert Pujols' over/under home run total.
Here are the 2022 MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
2022 MLB Odds: Albert Pujols Career Home Run Total Odds
Albert Pujols:
Over: 699.5 (+360)
Under: 699.5 (-500)
Why Pujols Can Reach 700 Home Runs
The Cardinals franchise as a whole understands what is at stake. The fanbase, players, staff, and even fans from opposing teams all want this feat to happen, even Cubs fans. I believe manager Oliver Marmol (who is younger than Pujols) will keep him at the DH for the rest of the season. If the Cardinals keep winning, then that only betters his chances of staying in the lineup. As long as he doesn't go on a huge 0-40 slump, then Pujols will be batting anywhere from 5-7 in the lineup.
Over the course of the next few weeks, St. Louis will face the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds. Those two series are huge for him to try and accomplish this milestone. The Pirates nor the Reds have any sense of pitching talent at the major league level right now. If he doesn't hit any home runs during those eight combined games, then it could be tough for him to get there. They do, however, play the Pirates for their final seven games of the season.
Why Pujols Won't Reach 700 Home Runs
Outside of facing the Pirates and Reds, the Cardinals will battle the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, and Los Angeles Dodgers. What do those three teams have in common? Elite starting pitching. Pujols will be battled tested big time during those games as the Padres and Brewers are both fighting to make the postseason. St. Louis will play those three teams for a combined 10 games. He likely will be facing starting pitching that will be tough to hit against.
Final Albert Pujols Career Home Run Total Prediction
FanDuel expects the under to hit. Although, Pujols and the entire baseball community want this milestone to happen and it's hard to bet against a man who's been smashing baseballs for 20+ years in the majors. He also should be playing in the postseason which is extra at-bats. Taking the over here benefits you tremendously. At nearly +360, you can be a part of history by putting some money down on the over.
Final Albert Pujols Career Home Run Total Prediction: Over 699.5 (+360)
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