• Pujols lets emotions flow after joining 700 home run club

• Pujols’ 700 home runs by the numbers

• No way! Amsinger predicted exact date of Pujols’ 700th

• Judge HR chase FAQ: How to watch, pace, more

• Pujols the first Latino to reach 700 HRs

• Watch all of Pujols’ milestone home runs

• Here’s where Judge stands in his bid for Triple Crown

• ‘Very proud’: Beltré in front row to witness Pujols’ feat

• Giants pause to watch Pujols’ historic moment

• The 700 Home Run Club

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Pujols means the world to Latin American peers

For generations of Major Leaguers from Latin America, there have been stars from their countries to look up to and try to emulate, especially at the beginning of their professional careers.

For young players from Puerto Rico, Roberto Clemente was the standard, on and off the field, followed by Orlando Cepeda, Iván Rodríguez, Yadier Molina and others. In Venezuela, the icons were Alfonso “Chico” Carrasquel and Luis Aparicio, followed by David Concepción and later Miguel Cabrera. For aspiring Major Leaguers from Mexico, Roberto “Bobby” Ávila and, of course, Fernando Valenzuela were the figures to look up to. And Cuba brought us Atanasio “Tany” (or Tony) Pérez, who along with Tony Oliva and Luis Tiant set the bar for their countrymen in the last 60 years.

In the Dominican Republic — birthplace of four Hall of Famers and the perennial leader in participating players in MLB born outside the U.S. and Puerto Rico — Juan Marichal was for decades the undisputed king of baseball, the first of his countrymen in Cooperstown and the standard by which other Dominican players were measured. In just under six years, Pedro Martínez, Vladimir Guerrero and David Ortiz — who in the last decade have followed Marichal’s footsteps with Hall of Fame enshrinement — will almost assuredly be joined in Cooperstown by Albert Pujols, who homered twice Friday night to join the elite 700-HR club.

As he winds down a historic 22-year Major League career, Pujols is that standard for generations of players, not only from the Dominican Republic, but from Latin America at large.

The Machine’s 10 most memorable moments

When you play 22 Major League seasons, appear in three World Series and make 10 All-Star teams, you’re going to accumulate some memorable moments. When you sprinkle in more than 3,000 hits and 700 home runs over the course of a career like that, there will be even more.

200 K’s: Another first, and more history for Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani is essentially creating his own milestones. The two-way superstar became the first Angels player to record 200 strikeouts in a season since Jered Weaver in 2010.

Cole tossed after near K of Verdugo results in pivotal HR

After giving up a game-tying home run in the sixth inning, Gerrit Cole let his frustration out on the home-plate umpire and was handed his first career ejection.

Bassitt shuts down former club as Mets pad NL East lead

Chris Bassitt was dominant over eight inningsand Eduardo Escobar’s grand slam led the onslaught as the Mets beat the A’s and took advantage of a Braves loss.

‘Nasty’ Nola rewriting September narrative

Cruising down the stretch, Aaron Nola continued to distance himself from past September woes as the Phillies routed the Braves and moved ahead of the Padres in the NL Wild Card standings.

MLB Network Showcase: Red Sox vs. Yankees

Still sitting on 60 home runs, Aaron Judge leads the Yankees against the Red Sox in the Bronx today at 1 p.m. ET.

Today’s Trivia Question

Albert Pujols hit 13 of his 700 home runs off five different Hall of Fame pitchers. Which one gave up the most?

Answer »

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