MLB Game Preview - LA Angels at Kansas City

Sat Apr 27, 2019 7:15 PM EDT

When Albert Pujols' career is over, he'll look back and marvel like most fans have for years. But fans in Kansas City won't have to wait more than a day to get a glimpse of greatness, because Pujols and the Los Angeles Angels will continue their three-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

It's unusual to predict milestone accomplishments, and it's even more unusual to do it on back-to-back nights ...and be right. But that's very possible with Pujols on this trip to the town where he played high school and college baseball.

On Friday, Pujols passed Lou Gehrig for fourth place on the all-time RBI list with 1,995. He is just one behind Barry Bonds for third place all-time. With the success that Pujols has had against Kansas City (25 home runs in 98 career games), Bonds may fall by the wayside Saturday.

Pujols isn't focused on that.

"I'm one of those players who is going to look at it when I'm done playing the game," Pujols said following Friday's game. "It's hard for me. This is the same way I've done it since I was in high school or college. I really don't get caught up in the numbers. When I'm done, I think I'm going to have more time to look back and say, 'Wow, what an amazing career.'

"Don't get me wrong. Any time somebody brings it up to me, 'You passed this guy,' I'm aware of that. But the last thing you want to do is put your focus on that. It's not about that. You put your focus on the team. Because (if) you do that, everything else is going to fall in place."

While Pujols isn't focused on his career numbers, others can't help but notice.

"I go back in my career and look at guys who are really intimidating (as hitters)," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. "As soon as you get him out, you're like, 'Okay, when is he coming back up again.' Bonds was like one of those guys, Trout is one of those guys. Albert Pujols is definitely one of those guys. It's an elite few. In the 15 years I've managed Major League Baseball, I can't think of 10 of them."

Pujols' own manager, Brad Ausmus played against Pujols in his playing days, and he can laugh about that thought now.

"I had the -- I'll call it pleasure now -- to play against him quite a bit in the first half of his career," said Ausmus, who played in the same division as Pujols for nine years while with the Houston Astros. "Between (him) and Barry Bonds, they were the two best players I played against. He's one of the best right-handed hitters in the history of the game, top five for sure."

History aside, the Royals need to figure out how to solve Pujols. They own the worst record in baseball (tied with Miami) at 8-18.

They'll run Jorge Lopez (0-2, 4.50 ERA) out to the mound on Saturday. Lopez has pitched at least six innings each of his last four starts, so Yost can hope that his bullpen won't be called upon for too many innings.

The Angels will have Jaime Barria (2-1, 4.26 ERA) on the mound. He picked up the win in his last outing (one run on four hits in five innings, with no walks and three strikeouts) in relief.

Neither pitcher has faced the opposing team before in his career.

--Field Level Media