In his final MLB season, St. Louis Cardinals icon Pujols picked for All-Star game

St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Albert Pujols will finish off his legendary career as a participant in the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star game.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on Friday announced Pujols was picked as a “special selection” for the Midsummer Classic. Manfred gained this ability to select one player of historical baseball significance to each league roster from the new collective bargaining agreement with the MLB and MLB Players Association. Pujols was chosen for the National League roster, while Manfred picked Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers for the American League roster.

This selection was a reward for Pujols’ accomplished career throughout his 22 years in the league. The 42-year-old Pujols is finishing up his Cardinals sendoff in his 12th season with the team while adding a 10th ASG selection with the Redbirds and 11th overall (one with the Los Angeles Angels).

The Dominican Republic product led the Cardinals to two World Series titles in 2006 and 2011, is a three-time NL MVP (2005, 2008, 2009) and will end his career fifth all-time in home runs. Pujols is on the short list of players in baseball history to reach 3,000 hits, 500 home runs and 600 doubles — the only other players to accomplish this are Cabrera and Hank Aaron.

On Friday night, the full MLB All-Star selections will be announced and a couple more Cardinals players could get their names called.

The MLB All-Star Game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 19, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.