Unlike most recipients of this award, Pujols wasn't returning from any sort of major injury or illness -- he simply returned to relevance. Pujols surpassed 300 plate appearances for the first time since 2019 and wound up crushing 24 home runs while slashing .270/.345/.550 over 351 plate appearances in his farewell tour.

Pujols had a terrific second half this season in St. Louis en route to joining the highly exclusive 700 home run club, but he'll go forward with the plan to hang up his cleats for good. The 42-year-old -- 43 in January -- finishes with 3,384 hits, 703 homers, 2,218 RBI, and a lifetime .296/.374/.544 batting line across 22 major league seasons. He was an 11-time All-Star, a three-time NL MVP, and he won two World Series rings (2006, 2011) during his prime years with the Cardinals. Cooperstown awaits.

It would have been unthinkable a few months ago seeing Pujols hitting in the two hole against righty Zack Wheeler, but he's turned back the clock and been awesome in the second half. The Cards' full lineup looks like this: Lars Nootbaar RF, Pujols DH, Paul Goldschmidt 1B, Nolan Arenado 3B, Brendan Donovan 2B, Dylan Carlson CF, Corey Dickerson LF, Yadier Molina C, Tommy Edman SS.

Mitch Keller retired Pujols in each of his first two plate appearances, but in the sixth inning he hung a curveball and the future Hall of Famer lined it over the left-field wall for a two-run shot. Pujols had been tied with Babe Ruth on the all-time RBI list but now is in the No. 2 spot by himself with 2,216. He's gone deep in back-to-back games and his 16 homers since August 14 are more than anyone else in baseball (yes, including Aaron Judge's 15).