Padres' Machado: Why aren't teams giving Pujols 'farewell tour?'
San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado doesn't understand why St. Louis Cardinals slugger and MLB legend Albert Pujols hasn't received more fanfare from opposing clubs during his last season in the majors.
"It's kind of (bovine dung) that teams are not giving him a farewell tour. I'll tell you that right now," Machado said, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Why? Albert has been the best player in our generation to ever play this game, and to see him doing the things he's doing - I mean, it's just unbelievable.
"It's freaking special that St. Louis gave him the opportunity to come back here and finish off his career as a Cardinal."
The San Francisco Giants and New York Mets both had in-game recognition for Pujols and longtime teammate Yadier Molina earlier in the season. Meanwhile, Machado said the Padres will have a tribute in September.
Pujols, a three-time MVP and two-time World Series champion, is tied for 10th all-time in hits with 3,319. He has the fifth-most homers in MLB history with 683. The 42-year-old said in late March that 2022 would be his final campaign before retirement.