ST LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 07: Albert Pujols #55 of the Los Angeles Dodgers salutes the fans as he receives a standing ovation before his first at-bat in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on September 7, 2021 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images)
When the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim came to an agreement to end Albert Pujols’ 10-season tenure with the franchise only slightly prematurely, it seemed like a move that had almost no chance of backfiring, beyond a high likelihood of a brief spat of embarrassment.