It’s been speculated that Albert Pujols could manage in the MLB — but some people in the game believe he should already have a gig in the big leagues.
Pujols, who is the Dominican Republic’s skipper in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, was in the mix for multiple MLB managing jobs this offseason, but they ultimately fell through.
Given Pujols’ stellar playing career, questions have arisen if he could translate that greatness to the managerial level.
Longtime skipper Dusty Baker thinks that the transition would be easy for the 11-time All-Star.
“It shouldn’t be someday. He should be managing right now,” Baker, who managed Nicaragua in the WBC, told The Athletic this week. “There are a lot of guys that are managing that don’t have the experience on the field of Albert Pujols. I didn’t have much experience either. I coached for a while, and then I had experience in the fall league.
“There are a lot of guys in the game that don’t have the experience that Albert Pujols has, that don’t have the knowledge that Albert Pujols has or don’t have the respect from the players.”
Juan Soto, who is playing under Pujols during this year’s tournament, told reporters that the former first baseman is a pleasure to have in the clubhouse, saying that he “understands how we feel.”
“It’s truly incredible having a legend like Albert in the clubhouse, leading every single one of us as our manager,” Juan Soto told reporters in Spanish, according to ESPN. “He’s been in our shoes and truly understands how we feel, how the pieces move on the field, every swing we take, every decision we make.
“He’s right there with us through it all, and that makes it something truly special and beautiful.”
During the offseason, Pujols was in talks about managerial openings with the Angels — whom he spent 10 seasons playing for — along with the Padres and Orioles.
Each team went in a different direction, however, and Pujols admits that he still doesn’t “know everything” when it comes to managing a club.
“I had managers such as Tony La Russa, Dave Roberts, Joe Maddon, Oli Marmol, Hall of Famers,” Pujols said, according to The Athletic. “You learn a lot from them. … This is something that I have been developing, and I have the chance to go to the stadium and learn something new every day.
“I don’t think that, just because I have been here for 23 years, I know everything. Every time I come to the stadium, I have this open mindset to learn, and I will learn with every play and go back to the hotel thinking, ‘Well, I could have done this a different way.’”