DALLAS ( AP) — Threetime NL MVP Albert Pujols agreed Thursday to a $ 254 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.
Pujols’ contract is only the third in baseball to break the $200 million barrier, following Alex Rodriguez’s $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas before the 2001 season and A-Rod’s $275 million, 10-year contract with the Yankees before the 2008 season.
In addition, the Angels agreed to a five-year contract with left-hander C.J. Wilson, a deal worth about $75 million, a person familiar with that deal said, also on condition of anonymity because it had not been announced.
Pujols has spent all 11 of his major league seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, becoming a franchise icon second only to Stan Musial. St. Louis also offered him a 10-year deal, but he chose to leave the Gateway City for sunny California.
“ He left a pretty good impact over there, I don’t think fans will soon forget what his contributions were,” said former Cardinals manager and star Joe Torre, now an executive with Major League Baseball. “I still think the St. Louis fans are going to be more appreciative than angry.”
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