Albert Pujols, who, last year, became only the fourth member of MLB’s 700 home run club, put his announcing chops to work Sunday. There, he joined color analyst Bob Walk and play-by-play veteran Brendan Burke on the call for Sunday’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and his former team, the St. Louis Cardinals. It’s only fitting the 43-year-old would start this new phase of his career at PNC Park, where Pujols slugged 35 career home runs, easily the most by a visiting player in the stadium’s 22-year history.
Given his profile as a surefire Hall-of-Famer and one of the greatest players of his era, it’s surprising how little attention Pujols generated in his broadcasting debut, with minimal promotion surrounding the event. That’s likely because the game was buried on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock, with an unusually early 11:35 AM ET first pitch.
Still, even amid the muted circumstances of his maiden voyage on Peacock, Pujols was generally well-received by fans, who felt he came off as likable and well-prepared.
This Peacock broadcast is putting AT&T to shame. Walk and Pujols actually get along, and the camera angles are amazing. Ugh.
— Good Dog (@RawhideMolly) June 4, 2023
Pujols doing well. Cardinals? Not so much. Would like to listen to Albert but had enough of this game already
— JMCardsfan (@Jody2728) June 4, 2023
It helped having his former teammate Adam Wainwright break the ice, sharing an anecdote about Pujols talking his ear off in the sauna, of all places.
Time will tell if Pujols proves successful in his transition from the batter’s box to the broadcast booth, though, if nothing else, his insight as a three-time MVP and two-time World Series champion should prove valuable, lending star power and credibility to a brand desperate to make its presence felt in the sports content space.