Los Angeles Angels designate slugger Albert Pujols for assignment

Late Wednesday night, after watching another game from the bench, Albert Pujols was summoned into a room with Los Angeles Angels president John Carpino and general manager Perry Minasian and was informed that his near-decade run with the team was coming to an abrupt end. The following morning, the organization announced it had designated Pujols for assignment, a procedural move that will lead to Pujols' release by the end of the week, barely two months into the last season of a 10-year, $240 million contract.

Minasian, in his first year as the Angels' GM, said the decision was strictly dictated by the baseball-operations department. Jared Walsh, a 39th-round pick, had continued his evolution…