Albert Pujols hasn't had a ton of pop in his bat this year, but there are some signs of life after a pair of home runs in the last week. The 42-year-old Cardinals slugger is participating in this year's Home Run Derby as the active leader with 685 career dingers.
Pujols has participated in the event four times before, in 2003, 2007, 2009 and 2015. He has 71 career homers in the derby. His only other appearance under the current bracket format came in 2015 (he lost in the second round to Joc Pederson).
He is making history just by entering this year's derby. His 685 home runs are the most for a competing player, edging out Barry Bonds' 681.
Pujols has never won the Home Run Derby, but he did have a runner-up finish in 2003.
Albert Pujols in the 2003 Home Run Derby
Pujols was incredibly impressive in his Derby debut 19 years ago. After barely eking out a first-round win over Gary Sheffield with four homers (he advanced because of a higher season home run total), he defeated Jason Giambi in the semifinals 14-11.
In the final, Pujols lost 9-8 to Garret Anderson and had to settle for second place.
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Albert Pujols in the 2007 Home Run Derby
Pujols again eked out a first-round win with four homers as he owned a tiebreaker over Matt Holiday.
But he was eliminated in the semis after tying Vladimir Guerrero with nine home runs. Totals at that time carried over, so Pujols lost 14-13.
Albert Pujols in the 2009 Home Run Derby
This derby was conducted under a new format, but Pujols was a 4-seed once again. He made it out of the first round after winning a tiebreaking swing-off against Carlos Peña.
He then went up against Prince Fielder in Round 2. Fielder and Pujols hit six home runs each in the round, but Pujols again was eliminated via carryover tiebreaker.
Albert Pujols in the 2015 Home Run Derby
Hitting for the first time in a true bracket format, Pujols edged out Kris Bryant 10-9 in the first round.
He went on to lose to Joc Pederson 12-11 in the semifinals. Todd Frazier defeated Pederson in the final to claim the Home Run Derby crown.
