February 28, 2021 11:51 AM : Pujols said Saturday that he won't make a decision on whether to continue his playing career until after the 2021 season, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Analysis: Pujols addressed his future with the media a few days after his wife made an Instagram post that initially suggested her husband was planning on retiring after the 2021 season before she later deleted the post. Though Pujols is publicly leaving the door open to play beyond 2022, it's difficult to imagine the 41-year-old attracting much interest from teams, given his lack of defensive flexibility along with the fact that he's been a below-average performer at the plate each of the past four seasons. Now heading into the final season of a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Angels, Pujols could be limited to a part-time role in 2021 with Jared Walsh and Shohei Ohtani representing superior options at first base and designated hitter, respectively.