There has been plenty of talk over the past several hours about the possibilities of Albert Pujols signing a free agent deal with the Colorado Rockies. However, it sounds like a pin has popped the balloon for those Rockies fans who were hoping to see the future Hall of Famer in purple pinstripes.
According to reports, the Albert Pujols to the Colorado Rockies rumors have no merit
Reports surfaced on Friday that the Colorado Rockies were one of three teams that were “in talks” with Pujols, along with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Seattle Mariners. However, less than 24 hours later, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman squashed those rumors.
The Pujols-to-Colorado rumors never made complete sense, to be honest. Colorado general manager Bill Schmidt told us during the GM meetings just before the lockout went into effect that the Rockies wouldn’t be pursuing someone who would be a primary designated hitter. That’s exactly what Pujols would have been had he come to Colorado.
“I don’t think we have to get a Nelson Cruz or David Ortiz type of player for that role (designated hitter),” Schmidt said.
Colorado has plenty of other offensive holes that need to be filled, primarily in terms of the outfield and bringing some power to that part of the lineup as well as finding a replacement for Trevor Story. While Pujols would have been a nice story for Rockies fans to follow as he closes in on some big milestones this season, it’s not a priority as the team tries to regain its relevancy in the National League West.
If Pujols lands anywhere in 2022, don’t be surprised if it’s a reunion with St. Louis, a team he played with for the first 11 years of his career.