6 LA Angels moves that did not work out as planned

No. 3 LA Angels move that did not work out as planned: The Albert Pujols signing (2012)

The Albert Pujols-LA Angels signing is so tough to write about. There was so much hope regarding what bringing Pujols in would do for this franchise. Unfortunately, the 10-year/$240 million didn't pay off for the Halos.

Pujols hit just .256/.311/.447 (.758 OPS) with the Halos, which is sub-par for any hitter. Now, remember what he did with the Cardinals and it just becomes depressing. Pujols was a .328/.420/.617 (1.037 OPS) hitter with the Cards.

We were acquiring a top five right-handed hitter ever. How did this go so wrong? He hit less than half the home runs he did on the Cardinals with the Angels (222 as opposed to 445 with St. Louis).

He also didn't win Gold Gloves anymore. His defense regressed, and at the end of his career he had absolutely no range at first base. The Halos had to release him for his poor performance in the last year of his contract.

He was somewhat better with the Dodgers in 2021 than with the Angels in 2021, but he was still a well below-average player. It remains to be seen what happens with him for the future.