When the Dodgers picked up Albert Pujols last season, they had no idea what they were going to get out of him. An aging veteran with no speed and no defensive prowess left leaves a lot to be desired. But the intention was for him to come off of the bench against left-handed pitching, earning the occasional start when the DH was in play.
But Pujols ended up playing much more than anyone anticipated. That was partially due to his stellar play and partially due to the fact that the Dodgers couldn’t keep anyone healthy in 2021. But Albert hit 12 homeruns for Los Angeles and drove in 38 runs across 85 games.