LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols have agreed to a contract for the remainder of the season, according to people with knowledge of the situation.
Pujols, 41, was abruptly designated for assignment by the Angels last week and officially released Thursday after clearing waivers. The first baseman batted .198 with a .622 on-base-plus-slugging percentage and five home runs in 92 plate appearances with the Angels this season. He was seven for his last 43 before his release.
The Angels remain responsible for his $30-million salary in the final year of his 10-year, $240 million contract. The Dodgers will pay him a prorated share of the $570,500 league minimum. That will be offset from what the Angels owe him.
Pujols’ playing time in Anaheim began dwindling last year, but he made 20 of his 22 starts with the Angels this season at first base. He was pushed out two weeks after the club decided to make Jared Walsh their full-time first baseman and use Shohei Ohtani as the designated hitter when available, relegating Pujols to the bench.
Pujols started 571 games in his nine-plus seasons with the Angels as the designated hitter, but that won’t be an option most days for the Dodgers. Still, the Dodgers had sought an additional right-handed batter to balance their position player pool since the offseason. Pujols gives them one who happens to be headed to Cooperstown as soon as he’s eligible.
Pujols also bolsters their depth, which has withered since the end of the last season because of free agent departures and injuries. This week, Edwin Ríos, a slugger the Dodgers hoped would supply power off the bench, was lost for the season because of a partially torn labrum in his shoulder after going four for 51 at the plate.
Pujols also offers the Dodgers a pinch-hitting option late in games.
He ranks fifth in major league history with 667 home runs and 13th with 3,253 hits. He’s a three-time National League most valuable player and 10-time All-Star, but he hasn’t been a league average hitter since 2016. Once his signing is official, he’ll again become the oldest active player in the majors and the fourth former MVP on the Dodgers’ roster.
