ST. LOUIS — For the final time in his career, Albert Pujols is an All-Star.
On Friday, MLB announced the commissioner's office had made its two special selections for the midsummer classic to be played in Los Angeles on July 19. Cardinals DH Albert Pujols and Tigers DH Miguel Cabrera were named to the National and American League squads, respectively.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal had previously reported this was a strong possibility, with the new collective bargaining agreement allowing the commissioner to add "two legends" to the All-Star Game each year.
This will be the 11th time Pujols can claim All-Star status. This will be the tenth time he has appeared for the Cardinals in the All-Star Game. His last appearance came with the Angels in 2015.
Season statistics did not factor into the addition of Pujols to the NL roster, with the all-time great slugger hitting just .200 with a .624 OPS on the season. He is still chasing 700 career home runs, and currently sits 17 away from the milestone.
However, Pujols' status as one of the greatest hitters in the history of baseball, warranted his inclusion by the commissioner during his final season.
The Cardinals could still claim two starters in the game at Dodgers Stadium, with Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado in the final showdown for a starter spot at their respective positions.
Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who is currently on the injured list, has also said 2022 will be his final season in the major leagues.