Albert Pujols final game: Retiring Cardinals legend could tie MLB record with unlikely walk-off home run

While the St. Louis Cardinals will host the Philadelphia Phillies in a National League Wild Card series starting Friday, today in Pittsburgh will be the last regular-season game for two future Cards Hall of Famers in Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. Here's hoping they enter the Hall of Fame together in July 2028 – Pujols is a first-ballot lock, but Molina might not be. Pujols could tie an MLB record if he hits an obviously very unlikely walk-off homer today. It is not expected that Pujols will start, but the veteran slugger could pinch-hit.

Pujols hit his 703rd homer Monday night, his 35th career home run at PNC Park -- his most at any visiting ballpark. Pujols is the all-time PNC Park leader (2001-present) in batting (.373), slugging (.731), and OPS (1.177), while pacing all visiting players in hits (147), doubles (33), homers, RBI (101), runs (89), extra-base hits (69), and total bases (287).

The 703 overall homers are fourth all-time, and he can't catch Babe Ruth (714) for third. After a two-RBI single on Tuesday, Pujols has 2,218 career RBI, which ranks second behind Hank Aaron's 2,297.

If he does get an at-bat today, Pujols would tie Ricky Henderson for fourth-most regular-season games played at 3,081. The record of 3,582 is held by Pete Rose. Pujols also could tie Eddie Collins for 10th in times on base at 4,891. Rose holds the mark there as well with 5,929.

The MLB record for walk-off home runs is 13 by Jim Thome, and Pujols is tied with Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Frank Robinson and Babe Ruth at 12. The only member of that group who didn't reach 500 career homers is Musial, who belted 475. But his his nine bases-empty walk-off homers are the most in history. Thome is the only player to hit a walk-off blast for career home run No. 500, which he did on Sept. 16, 2007, with the White Sox. Eight of Thome's game-ending home runs came in extra innings.

Pujols has 24 homers this year, more than the likes of Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuña Jr., Bryce Harper, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman, Xander Bogaerts, Christian Yelich and Jose Abreu. Pujols has homered off 458 different pitchers in his career, an MLB record. Only 39 players ever have hit more than 453 home runs, regardless of how many pitchers they took deep.

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