Albert Pujols, Cardinals contract details: Complete list of incentives

Albert Pujols is back with St. Louis Cardinals after spending a decade away from the team.

After 10 years away from the franchise he’s most famous for playing football, Albert Pujols is returning to St. Louis Cardinals on a one-year contract.

Pujols will be 42 years old in his 22nd MLB season. The future celebrity first polling station has had over 3,000 career hits and is rapidly reaching 700 career home runs. Pujols left St. Louis after winning the 2011 World Series with a major 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels. While he accumulates stats and makes the bank, winning isn’t part of the equation there.

One reason he returned to St. Louis is to reunite with the famous Yadier Molina’s future hallway friend. Here’s what Pujols had to say about possibly ending his career in the major league with his best friend.

“I always told him, let’s get it done together. Let’s retire together,” Pujols’ Bob Nightengale told USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale. “It was amazing. I remember when he came in in 2004, and his father and mother said to me, ‘This is my little boy and I want you to treat him like your little brother. ‘ And that’s what I did.”

Here are the details of the lucrative contract that Pujols signed to return to St. Louis in 2022.

Albert Pujols returns to St. Louis: 2022 contract details and other incentives

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, it’s a one-year, $2.5 million deal for Pujols. He has some incentives baked into this contract. He could make an extra $100,000 if he’s named an All-Star, a Gold Glover, or even an NL MVP. Pujols will receive $50,000 if he is a Silver Slugger recipient or if he finishes in the top 10 of the National League MVP race if he doesn’t win the prize.

While most of those honors are pipe dreams outside of a nod All-Star career, the real amount he can earn is based on the Cardinals’ post-season performance. He’ll get $50,000 if he’s the MVP of their NLDS series, $100,000 if he wins the NLCS MVP for the Redbirds, and $150,000 if he wins the World Series MVP and rises to the top with as a three-time champion in his incredible career.

Ultimately, the two big things he’s competing for are the 700 home runs of his career and his third World Series championship win with St.Louis. Pujols entered the MLB season 21 home team because he was afraid of that milestone. Insofar as the Cardinals can compete in the World Series, they must be a top six in the Senior Circuit. They can win NL Central. From there, it’s all about the games and momentum of October.

This can be a team-friendly deal, but Pujols can earn up to $650,000 from additional offers.