Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols hit the 536th home run of his career during Tuesday’s 8-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, tying Mickey Mantle for 16th place on the all-time list, per MLB Milestones.
Pujols’ milestone blast came with the bases empty in the top of the fifth inning, when he hit a line drive a few rows into the right field stands off of Rays pitcher Nate Karns, giving the Angels a 5-0 lead.
It was Pujols’ eighth home run in his last 11 games, after he managed just eight through his first 44 games of the season.
He also has 12 runs and 13 RBI over the 11-game stretch, which has seen him improve his season-long slash line from .238/.294/.436 all the way to .268/.317/.531.
The 35-year-old first baseman has already moved up from 21st to 16th place on the all-time home runs list since the beginning of the season, but he’ll have to wait a while to move up any further.
Fifteenth-place Mike Schmidt hit 548 career home runs, leaving Pujols with 12 more to go to catch the Hall of Fame third baseman.
After that, 14th-place Manny Ramirez hit 555 home runs, and 13th-place Reggie Jackson had 563
Pujols is on pace for 45 home runs this season, and in the unlikely event he actually reaches that total, he’ll have 565 for his career, good for sole possession of 13th place on the all-time list.
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