The implementation of the universal designated hitter could end up prolonging the careers of a multitude of veteran sluggers in MLB today, including Albert Pujols.

According to Univision's Mike Rodriguez, Pujols is garnering free agency interest from the Seattle Mariners and a pair of National League teams in the St. Louis Cardinals and the Colorado Rockies.

Rodriguez further adds that the Rockies have shown the “most interest” in signing Pujols.

With the DH now in the NL, the Rockies will have a hole to fill in their lineup for the upcoming 2022 campaign. They will at the least have both Raimel Tapia and Charlie Blackmon as options to be their go-to DH. In the 2020 shortened season, Tapia (10 starts) and Blackmon (nine starts) each featured as a DH.

The Cardinals were heavily linked with Pujols last year following his departure from the Los Angeles Angels. The three-time National League MVP Award winner spent his opening 11 seasons in the majors with the Cardinals, where he helped guide them to two World Series wins.

Finally, the Mariners are well familiar with Pujols’ prowess at the plate, as he had keen moments against them while with the Angels.

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Pujols is just coming off of a stint with the Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana side Leones del Escogido after they acquired him from the Gigantes del Cibao via a trade. He played in 16 games in the winter ball season, where he wound up hitting .246. A report ahead of the MLB lockout noted that Pujols’ decision to join the Leones del Escogido signaled that he “for sure” would like to return for the 2022 campaign, which would be his 22nd season in the majors.

Overall, Pujols split time with the Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers last season. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts opted to mainly feature him against left-handed pitchers. Over the year, the 10-time All-Star hit .294 and recorded 13 home runs in 139 such at-bats.

Pujols currently sits at a mere 21 home runs away from reaching 700 in his career. It remains to be seen whether any team will sign him and provide him with a chance to reach this feat.