How baseball star Albert Pujols makes and spends his millions: the GOAT retired in 2022, but stays active as an on-air commentator, works with Skechers – and may aspire to manage clubs
Albert “the Machine” Pujols may have retired from baseball in 2022, but that doesn’t mean he has left the game completely.
The renowned player, who many have tipped to enter the Hall of Fame, has not only maintained his presence on the field through various gigs, but is also still raking in the money through endorsem*nts and fulfilling of contractual obligations.
Read on to find out exactly how Pujols makes and spends his cash …
Albert Pujols’ record-breaking career
With a career spanning an impressive 22 years, the 44-year-old Dominican-American earned the nickname “The Machine”, or “La Máquina” in Spanish, for his ability to break record after record. He has won three MVP awards and taken two World Series Championships with the St Louis Cardinals. He also made global headlines after he became the fourth player ever to join the 700 home run club alongside Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds. It is widely believed he will enter the Hall of Fame in 2028, which is when he becomes eligible.
How did Albert Pujols make his millions?
Pujols has an estimated net worth of US$170 million, per Celebrity Net Worth, with the major league baseball (MLB) player making most of his earnings through team contracts. Pujols, who retired in 2022, had a base salary of US$2.5 million with the St Louis Cardinals for the last year of his career, according to Bleacher Report. Back in 2012, he earned a record US$224.36 million in a multi-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, per the same publication.
His multimillion-dollar contracts have consistently put him in the top earning rankings of MLB players, with Business Insider reporting in 2020 that he was the second highest paid player in history. (Alex Rodriguez scored the No 1 spot at the time.)
Pujols, who had major deal endorsem*nts with the likes of Nike, has continued raking in cash from partnerships after his retirement. Earlier this year it was reported that Skechers was tapping the former Cardinals star as a brand ambassador. Pujols will appear in Spanish language campaigns, which are specifically promoting the slip-on shoes. Other ambassadors include Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart, Sugar Ray Leonard and Tony Romo.
His smart financial planning
While some athletes enjoy a lavish lifestyle and indulge in luxury goods, Pujols sought out True Capital Management, a financial planning firm that works with athletes and entertainers, to help direct his future goals. In an interview on Barrons, the baseball star said he knew he had to focus on his future: “Too many ball players leave the game and think they can keep living the lifestyle they want without a smart financial plan. They can’t. At the end of my career, if I want to live the lifestyle that I want for my family, I know I need to plan for that now.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean he has never indulged. Pujols sold his Californian mansion for US$8.8 million earlier this year, per SF Gate. The luxury home, located in Irvine, is over 9,200 sq ft with eight bathrooms and five en suite bedrooms.
Is Albert Pujols an aspiring manager?
He may have millions in his bank account, but – at 44 years old – Pujols doesn’t appear to intend to sit back and do nothing. Per the LA Times, in March, Pujols attended a training camp with the Los Angeles Angels as a guest instructor. Although the training session was part of his US$10 million personal services contract with the team, Pujols hinted that he could imagine a future as a team manager: “I think, you know, why not? If the opportunity is right one day, I think I’ll be ready for that.”
Pujols has spread his wings since retiring, working as a special assistant to Commissioner Rob Manfred and doing on-air game analysis for the MLB Network. He is also going to manage Dominican winter league club Leones del Escogido, a gig he said he has always dreamed of. “I think of it as an opportunity to hopefully get a job up here in the big leagues someday,” he said, per Sportskeeda.
