▲ Albert Pujols, who managed the Dominican Republic national team at the 2026 World Baseball Classic
Albert Pujols, 46, who hit the fourth-most home runs in Major League Baseball (MLB) history, is taking another shot at an MLB managerial interview.
The Associated Press reported on November 5 that Pujols is scheduled to be interviewed for the managerial position with the Houston Astros.
A native of the Dominican Republic, Pujols made his major league debut in 2001 and retired after the 2022 season, finishing his career with a .296 batting average, 703 home runs, and 2,218 RBIs.
His home run total ranks fourth in baseball history behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), and Babe Ruth (714), while his RBI total is second only to Aaron (2,297).
Having won the National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award three times while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pujols also captured two World Series titles.
An 11-time All-Star, Pujols is also a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame.
However, Pujols faces formidable competition in his interview for the Houston job.
Brad Ausmus, a former Houston catcher and former manager of the Los Angeles Angels, has also reportedly applied for the position.
Ausmus served as the bench coach for the New York Yankees this season.
Pujols applied for managerial jobs with the Angels and the San Diego Padres last year as well, but was unsuccessful.
Instead, he managed the Dominican Republic national team at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) held in March, leading them to the semifinals.
At the time, the South Korean national team suffered a 10-0 loss in a 7-inning mercy rule game against the Dominican Republic squad led by Pujols in the quarterfinals.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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