MLB great Albert Pujols returns to Cardinals on 1-year deal: 'This is my last run'

March 28 (UPI) -- Three-time National League MVP Albert Pujols agreed to a one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, giving him a chance to end his career with the organization that took him in the 13th round of the 1999 draft.

"This is it for me," the 42-year-old Pujols told reporters. "This is my last run."

ESPN and MLB Media reported that Pujols' one-year deal is worth $2.5 million. He returns to the club with 679 career home runs, needing just 21 homers to become the fourth MLB player to hit 700 in a career.

"Seldom does one get to share in watching or being a part of living history," Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said. "From the day we called Albert's name in the draft room back in 1999 to now -- as we set our sights on 2022 -- this reunion just makes sense in so many ways.

"We are all looking forward to reuniting Albert with his Cardinals family, and for the fan in all of us, including myself, this feels like looking through the pages of a favorite scrapbook or baseball card album and seeing those images and memories jump off the pages."

Pujols spent his first 11 Major League seasons with the Cardinals before playing for the Los Angeles Angels (2012-21) and L.A. Dodgers (2021). He helped guide St. Louis to World Series championships in 2006 and 2011.

Pujols, a 10-time All-Star selection and two-time Gold Glove Award winner, has a career .297 batting average with 3,301 hits and 2,150 RBIs.