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Albert Pujols got a taste of the action during the World Baseball Classic, and it sure looks like he’s got the fever.
St. Louis Cardinals legend might have been sitting pretty after blasting 703 home runs in his illustrious career, but he loves the game and continues to be around it.
But he wants to be in the deep end, and given the recent management firings in Major League Baseball, Pujols said he’s waiting for the right opportunity.
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Manager Albert Pujols of Team Dominican Republic participates in a practice session for the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida on March 12, 2026. (Gene Wang/Capture At Media/Getty Images)
“My name is in the hat,” Pujols told Pakinomist Digital. “I mean, look, I don’t want to force it. I think when the opportunity is right – I’ve never been the player to force things. I let things come to me and prepared myself.
“My dad used to tell me, control what you can control. Don’t try to control the things that are out of your control. So I’m waiting for an opportunity. If it happens, great, then I’m ready. If it doesn’t happen, I’m really excited and happy for the career that I have.”
However, Pujols knows that being an MLB manager is a thankless job.
“When you win, the team wins. When you lose, the manager loses,” he joked.
Albert Pujols looks to hit his 700th career home run during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles on Sept. 23, 2022. (Ashley Landis/AP)
But other parts of management, Pujols said, “have changed a lot,” especially with front offices increasing their influence on day-to-day lineups.
“I played three seasons: ’01 to ’10, ’10 to ’20, and then ’20 to ’22. So I saw everything. I’ve seen this game weirdly so much, but I think at the end of the day the communication, whether it’s with the front office, as a manager, your communication with your GM is so important because that’s what the ballplayers are going to carry over to,” he said.
If Pujols’ first managerial job is anything like his stint in the World Baseball Classic, he’d be pretty happy.
“When we had all the talent that we had representing our country in the World Baseball Classic, it wasn’t about teaching this guy how to play the game. These guys were professionals. They know how to play the game,” Pujols said. “It was more about their responsibilities and little things that I can help them with and, you know, writing that lineup and trying to be there, making decisions and making the best lineup to win games.”
Albert Pujols of St. Louis Cardinals gestures to the sky after hitting a solo home run during the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 2, 2022. (Scott Kane/Getty Images)
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The Boston Red Sox fired Alex Cora, and days later the Philadelphia Phillies relieved Rob Thomson of his duties. New York Mets fans have been clamoring for Carlos Mendoza to get the axe, but he remains at his post.
