Albert Pujols came to his 3,000th hit as stubborn as ever, as proud as ever. The years and miles have made the game more challenging, and the man himself still glares, still pokes a tongue at the air, still menaces with deliberate waves of his bat.

None of which helps him turn around a fastball, or tell it from a slider. It does, however, announce his deepest intentions, even at 38 years old, even as he arrives at this career milestone as most do, looking back on the best of themselves. There are nights he plays in the echo of his own hard and heavy footfalls, the echo of MVP seasons and a sporting prime that stands with the finest of his – and most any other – generation.

Scroll to continue with content Ad

Still, he is relentless in who he is and what he does. And while that dedication does not as often amount to quite as much, Albert Pujols remains a believer in every day, in every at-bat, in every outcome.

After all, it’s how he got the first 2,999.

In the fifth inning on Friday night, he singled off Seattle pitcher Mike Leake for his 3,000th career hit, 17 years and one month after his first.

The 3,000 Hit Club just got bigger! Albert Pujols, you’re its newest member! #Pujols3000 pic.twitter.com/hatWVJblga — Angels (@Angels) May 5, 2018





He is the 32nd player to reach the milestone, the second – after Adrian Beltre – to have been born in the Dominican Republic, and the fourth to also have at least 600 home runs.

Story continues

The 13th-round draft pick (signed for $60,000) of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1999 became a three-time MVP, a two-time World Series champion and 10-time All Star. He has hit 620 home runs, seventh all time. He has driven in 1,935 runs, ninth all time. He is a career .304 hitter. He has his choice of remarkable, therefore.

Los Angeles Angels’ first baseman Albert Pujols reached 3,000 career hits on Friday. (AP)

On a recent day at Angel Stadium, he pointed to a large tote board beyond right-center field that counted him toward 3,000. He said that was the number he’d be most proud of, as the small list of players above him includes his friend and mentor, long-time St. Louis Cardinal Stan Musial, and Roberto Clemente, the Puerto Rican outfielder who, en route to assisting earthquake victims in Nicaragua, died in a plane crash.

The number counts for ability and longevity and commitment, and the attention required across more than 11,000 plate appearances. Alongside 620 home runs, the number counts toward the extremely rare combination of power and selectivity. In 10 consecutive seasons, Pujols walked more often than he struck out. In those seasons, he averaged 188 hits and 41 home runs and batted .328. So, Hank Aaron had 3,771 hits and 755 home runs, Alex Rodriguez had 3,115 and 696, Willie Mays had 3,283 and 660. And Pujols, under contract for three years after this one, will cut into some of those career totals.

With health and a soft decline, Pujols could finish his career third all-time in home runs, behind Barry Bonds and Aaron, and sixth in hits, behind Pete Rose, Ty Cobb, Aaron, Musial and Tris Speaker.

Also, with a productive final five months, Pujols could reach 2,000 career RBIs, fifth all-time behind Aaron, Babe Ruth, Rodriguez and Cap Anson.

The hits, he said in the days before reaching 3,000, and the RBIs will go a long way toward defining Pujols in the batter’s box.

“One, it’s a lot of hits,” he said. “Two, there’s not a lot of people – for as many players who played this game in the big leagues – there’s not many who have accomplished that. Out of 21,000 major league players in the history of the game? I think that number, out of the 600 home runs, 600 doubles, RBIs and all that stuff, I think that 3,000 … Two things, I won’t lie to you. That 3,000 and 2,000 RBIs, those two numbers are something that are really, really going to be pretty special. I’m a long ways to the 2,000. Hopefully I can get those this year.

“Especially, you know, that’s how you win games, driving guys in. The 3,000 club, it’s pretty special. To be No. 32 and put your name with so many legends in the game, it’ll be awesome. That’s always been a number. That’s kind of the big number that everybody wants to hit. Like 500 home runs.”

This is what comes of the pursuit for a little better, from Santo Domingo on, from Maple Woods Community College on, from April 2, 2001 on. He’s 3,000 hits in, not done yet, and still chasing the next at-bat. The next hit. All the echoes.</s>SEATTLE — Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols got his 3,000th hit, reaching the mark with a broken-bat single Friday night against Seattle and becoming the 32nd player in major league history to join the exclusive club.

Pujols dumped the single into shallow right field in the fifth inning against Mike Leake. It came on Pujols’ sixth attempt after getting to 2,999 a day earlier.

Pujols received a standing ovation from the crowd at Safeco Field and was given the baseball and first base as a memento. His teammates all greeted him on the field before action resumed.

The 38-year-old Pujols nearly got the mark in the first inning, but his hard liner was right at shortstop Jean Segura. Pujols walked on a 3-2 pitch leading off the fourth inning after fouling off four two-strike pitches.

Pujols joined Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez as the fourth player in baseball history with 3,000 hits and 600 homers. He’s the first player to reach the mark since Adrian Beltre last year against Baltimore.

Pujols reached the precipice of the milestone earlier this week in Anaheim, getting two hits against Baltimore on Wednesday night — including his 620th career homer — before getting No. 2,999 on a second-inning double Thursday night.

He then came to the plate three times with the chance to hit the mark in front of his standing home crowd. But Pujols couldn’t quite do it, eventually flying out to right and deflating his eager home fans in the eighth inning of the Angels’ 12-3 win.

Ichiro Suzuki reached 3,000 hits in 2016 and also accomplished it on the road. He was in the Seattle clubhouse on Friday night when Pujols joined the club.

“More than the actual 3,000th hit, I remember the week prior,” Suzuki said through a translator before Friday’s game. “We were home for the whole week. I just had pinch-hitting opportunities. Every night was a pinch-hitting opportunity and that was really difficult. I was able to start on the last day of the road trip and getting it then.”

Pujols became the second Dominican player to reach 3,000 hits by joining Beltre. With Suzuki stepping away this week for the remainder of the 2018 season, Beltre is the only active player with more hits than Pujols.

And it may be a while before another player joins the club. The next closest player to 3,000 is Miguel Cabrera, who is more than 300 hits away. After Cabrera is Robinson Cano, nearly 600 hits away from the mark.

Few sluggers in baseball history have been more versatile than Pujols, who joins Aaron as the only players with 600 doubles and 600 homers among their 3,000 hits. He is seventh on baseball’s career homers list after hitting his 600th last season.

Pujols, who was raised in Santo Domingo before moving to New York and Missouri as a teenager, is the sixth foreign-born player to get 3,000 hits along with Suzuki, Rod Carew, Rafael Palmeiro and Roberto Clemente, who also had exactly 3,000 hits.

A three-time NL MVP with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pujols joined the Angels in 2012. Carew and Pujols are the only players to record their 3,000th hit with the Angels.

Pujols is in the seventh season of the lavish 10-year, $240 million contract that persuaded him to leave the Cardinals, with whom he won two World Series, earned nine All-Star selections and established himself as one of the greatest hitters of his generation.

Pujols has been chosen for just one All-Star team and has yet to win a playoff game in Anaheim during his first six seasons in partnership with two-time AL MVP Mike Trout, but these Angels are off to an encouraging 19-12 start.

While he has slowed on the basepaths during the Anaheim chapter of his career, this season also has been rejuvenating for Pujols, who is playing first base regularly after several years primarily serving as a designated hitter. Two-way Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani’s arrival as the Angels’ primary DH has put Pujols in the field, where he remains a capable defender.</s>The 3,000 hit club has a new member.

Friday night, Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols became the 32nd player in baseball history record 3,000 career hits. The milestone hit was a broken-bat single to right field against Mariners starter Mike Leake.

The 38-year-old Pujols is only the second player born in the Dominican Republic to reach 3,000 career hits, joining Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre. Pujols is the sixth player born outside the United States to reach 3,000 hits, joining Beltre, Rod Carew (Panama), Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico), Rafael Palmeiro (Cuba), and Ichiro Suzuki (Japan).

Furthermore, Pujols is only the fourth player in history with 3,000 hits and 600 home runs. Here's the list:

Pujols was of course drafted and developed by the St. Louis Cardinals before signing with the Angels as a free agent in December 2011. He broke in with the Cardinals in 2001 and was immediately an impact player, hitting .329/.403/.610 (157 OPS+) with 37 home runs and 130 RBI as a rookie. That earned him NL MVP honors unanimously. Pujols recorded 2,073 of his 3,000 career hits with St. Louis.

During his peak from 2003-10, Pujols was simply one of the most devastating offensive forces in baseball history, hitting .334/.433/.635 (177 OPS+) and averaging 42 home runs and 122 RBI per season. He's a three-time MVP, a two-time World Series champion, and a no-doubt first ballot Hall of Famer who will go down as one of the best right-handed hitters in history.

Who will be next to join the 3,000 hit club? Likely Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera is sitting on 2,666 career hits and is figures to reach the milestone in either late 2019 or early 2020, assuming good health.</s>Albert Pujols finally has done what Stan Ross never could.

The Los Angeles Angels first baseman made Major League Baseball history by recording his 3000th hit Friday night against the Seattle Mariners. Pujols accomplished the feat by flaring an opposite-field single off Mariners right-hander Mike Leake in the fifth inning.

Watch Pujols reach the milestone in the video below:

The 38-year-old future Hall of Famer later picked up hit No. 3,001 in the Angels’ 5-0 win.

Pujols becomes the 32nd member of MLB’s 3,000-hit club. The last player to join the group was Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre, who reached the milestone last July.

Perhaps more impressive for Pujols, however, is that he now is just the fourth player in MLB history to amass 3,000 hits and 600 home runs in a career.

So, where does Pujols, who no doubt will enter the National Baseball Hall of Fame on his first try, rank among the game’s greats?

In his first 11 seasons, all with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pujols hit .328 with 2,073 hits and 445 home runs. Oh, and he managed a mind-boggling 1.037 OPS in that time span, as well. But since joining the Angels in 2012, the Dominican slugger has hit just .268 with a .776 OPS over six-plus seasons — though his 928 hits and 175 homers are nothing to snuff at.

The dip in performance over the latter portion of his career has Pujols’ career batting average currently sitting at .304, which has him tied for 134th in MLB history with Robinson Cano and Mel Ott, among others. Furthermore, the decline in power — Pujos averaged 40 homers per year with the Cardinals, but has averaged just 25 per season with the Angels — has all-but eliminated his hopes of catching Barry Bonds’ career home run record of 762.

Regardless, Pujols’ career really should be viewed for what it is, rather than what it could have been. And the reality is that, no matter which way you slice it, he’s one of the greatest hitters the game of baseball has ever seen.

Not bad for a guy who was drafted in the 13th round of the 1999 Amateur Draft.</s>Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols became the 32nd player in Major League Baseball history to register 3,000 hits when he laced a single off Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Mike Leake in the 5th inning of Friday's game.

Pujols is the first player to join the 3,000-hit club since Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre did so last July. His accomplishment also means a player has made his way into the exclusive fraternity four years in a row.

Alex Rodriguez registered his 3,000th hit with a solo home run versus the Detroit Tigers in 2015, while Ichiro Suzuki reached the plateau when he ripped a triple against the Colorado Rockies in 2016.

"To get to that number is going to be really special. It's something you don't aim for or focus on, but when you're this close, you're like, 'Wow, that's a lot of hits,'" Pujols told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.

An 18-year veteran, Pujols is also looking to become the fourth player in MLB history with at least 600 career home runs, 3,000 hits and 2,000 RBI. The other three are Rodriguez, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays.

"If you had told me 17 years ago when I was drafted by the Cardinals that I would have had a career like this, I would have laughed at you in the face," Pujols said, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale. "What a journey I've had.

"And you know what, it's not over yet."

While Pujols pursues more milestones in the months ahead, Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera and Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano will set their sights on trying to become the next members of the 3,000-hit club.

Cabrera is sitting on 2,666 hits, while Cano has registered 2,408 with plenty more to come, in his estimation.

"I know if I stay healthy, and I can play for the next six years healthy, I can do it," Cano said, according to the Associated Press' Stephen Hawkins. "But I know there are too many hits left. I don't think, 'I've got to get there.' I go step by step and play this season and see how it goes, and play the next and see how it goes and see how close you get."</s>SEATTLE -- Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols got his 3,000th hit, reaching the mark with a broken-bat single Friday night against Seattle and becoming the 32nd player in major league history to join the exclusive club.

Pujols dumped the single into shallow right field in the fifth inning against Mike Leake. It came on Pujols' sixth attempt after getting to 2,999 a day earlier.

Pujols received a standing ovation from the crowd at Safeco Field and was given the baseball and first base as a memento. His teammates all greeted him on the field before action resumed. The Angels won the game 5-0, and Pujols collected hit No. 3,001 in the ninth inning with a two-run single.

"I was really excited, but at the same time you still have a game you need to play and you still need to focus to win that game," Pujols said. "That's what I told those guys. Let's go win that game so it can taste a little better with a win."

The 38-year-old Pujols nearly got the mark in the first inning, but his hard liner was right at shortstop Jean Segura. Pujols walked on a 3-2 pitch leading off the fourth inning after fouling off four two-strike pitches.

Pujols joined Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez as the only players in baseball history with 3,000 hits and 600 homers. He's the first player to reach the mark since Adrian Beltre last year against Baltimore.

"I'm aware of the legacy and the people that I tie and am on the same page right now," Pujols said. "But at the end of the day it's about winning a championship. Nothing would be more special than in September and October and playing in the playoffs and bringing a championship back to the city of Anaheim."

Pujols reached the precipice of the milestone earlier this week in Anaheim, getting two hits against Baltimore on Wednesday night -- including his 620th career homer -- before getting No. 2,999 on a second-inning double Thursday night.

He then came to the plate three times with the chance to hit the mark in front of his standing home crowd. But Pujols couldn't quite do it, eventually flying out to right and deflating his eager home fans in the eighth inning of the Angels' 12-3 win.

"Trust me I wanted to do it last night. But it didn't happen last night. It just happened tonight," Pujols said.

Ichiro Suzuki reached 3,000 hits in 2016 and also accomplished it on the road. He was in the Seattle clubhouse on Friday night when Pujols joined the club.

"More than the actual 3,000th hit, I remember the week prior," Suzuki said through a translator before Friday's game. "We were home for the whole week. I just had pinch-hitting opportunities. Every night was a pinch-hitting opportunity and that was really difficult. I was able to start on the last day of the road trip and getting it then."

Pujols became the second Dominican player to reach 3,000 hits by joining Beltre. With Suzuki stepping away this week for the remainder of the 2018 season, Beltre is the only active player with more hits than Pujols.

And it may be a while before another player joins the club. The next closest player to 3,000 is Miguel Cabrera, who is more than 300 hits away. After Cabrera is Robinson Cano, nearly 600 hits away from the mark.

Few sluggers in baseball history have been more versatile than Pujols, who joins Aaron as the only players with 600 doubles and 600 homers among their 3,000 hits. He is seventh on baseball's career homers list after hitting his 600th last season.

Pujols, who was raised in Santo Domingo before moving to New York and Missouri as a teenager, is the sixth foreign-born player to get 3,000 hits along with Suzuki, Rod Carew, Rafael Palmeiro and Roberto Clemente, who also had exactly 3,000 hits.

A three-time NL MVP with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pujols joined the Angels in 2012. Carew and Pujols are the only players to record their 3,000th hit with the Angels.

Pujols is in the seventh season of the lavish 10-year, $240 million contract that persuaded him to leave the Cardinals, with whom he won two World Series, earned nine All-Star selections and established himself as one of the greatest hitters of his generation.

Pujols has been chosen for just one All-Star team and has yet to win a playoff game in Anaheim during his first six seasons in partnership with two-time AL MVP Mike Trout, but these Angels are off to an encouraging 19-12 start.

While he has slowed on the basepaths during the Anaheim chapter of his career, this season also has been rejuvenating for Pujols, who is playing first base regularly after several years primarily serving as a designated hitter. Two-way Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani's arrival as the Angels' primary DH has put Pujols in the field, where he remains a capable defender.</s>SEATTLE — Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols got his 3,000th hit, reaching the mark with a broken-bat single Friday night against Seattle and becoming the 32nd player in major league history to join the exclusive club.

Pujols dumped the single into shallow right field in the fifth inning against Mike Leake. It came on Pujols' sixth attempt after getting to 2,999 a day earlier.

Pujols received a standing ovation from the crowd at Safeco Field and was given the baseball and first base as a memento. His teammates all greeted him on the field before action resumed.

The 38-year-old Pujols nearly got the mark in the first inning, but his hard liner was right at shortstop Jean Segura. Pujols walked on a 3-2 pitch leading off the fourth inning after fouling off four two-strike pitches.

Pujols joined Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez as the fourth player in baseball history with 3,000 hits and 600 homers. He's the first player to reach the mark since Adrian Beltre last year against Baltimore.

Pujols reached the precipice of the milestone earlier this week in Anaheim, getting two hits against Baltimore on Wednesday night — including his 620th career homer — before getting No. 2,999 on a second-inning double Thursday night.

He then came to the plate three times with the chance to hit the mark in front of his standing home crowd. But Pujols couldn't quite do it, eventually flying out to right and deflating his eager home fans in the eighth inning of the Angels' 12-3 win.

Ichiro Suzuki reached 3,000 hits in 2016 and also accomplished it on the road. He was in the Seattle clubhouse on Friday night when Pujols joined the club.

"More than the actual 3,000th hit, I remember the week prior," Suzuki said through a translator before Friday's game. "We were home for the whole week. I just had pinch-hitting opportunities. Every night was a pinch-hitting opportunity and that was really difficult. I was able to start on the last day of the road trip and getting it then."

Pujols became the second Dominican player to reach 3,000 hits by joining Beltre. With Suzuki stepping away this week for the remainder of the 2018 season, Beltre is the only active player with more hits than Pujols.</s>Angels slugger Albert Pujols is the 32nd player to have eclipsed 3,000 hits in the majors. Here is a look at the men who have achieved the mark.

Career: 24 seasons, 1963-86Baseball’s all-time hits king, also known as “Charlie Hustle,” Rose batted .303 over a 24-year career with the Reds and Phillies. He broke Ty Cobb’s record in 1985 and no one has come within 900 hits of his record since he retired in 1986. He was infamously banned from baseball and barred from the Hall of Fame after it was discovered he gambled on games from 1985-87, while he was a player and manager for the Reds. Rose’s 10 seasons with 200-plus hits are tied with Ichiro Suzuki for the most 200-hit seasons in MLB history.

Career: 24 seasons, 1905-28“The Georgia Peach” was known for his surly demeanor, but he was a heck of a hitter. He broke Cap Anson’s career hits record in 1923 and continued to add to it for five seasons before retiring. Cobb owns MLB’s career record with a .366 average, including 10 seasons in which he batted .380 or better. Incredibly, he won only one MVP award in his 24-year career with Detroit and the Philadelphia Athletics.

Career: 23 seasons, 1954-76Most people remember “Hammerin’ Hank” for his prodigious home runs, but that doesn’t do justice to one of the game’s best offensive players ever. Aaron batted .300 or better 14 times in his career with Milwaukee and Atlanta and led the National League in batting twice. In addition to ranking third all-time in hits and second in home runs (755), Aaron ranks first all-time in RBIs (2,297) and extra-base hits (1,477).

Career: 22 seasons, 1941-63“Stan the Man” was a three-time NL MVP (he finished second four times, too) who was nearly impossible to strike out. In 12,721 plate appearances during his 22 seasons with the Cardinals, he struck out just 696 times (about 5 percent of the time).

Career: 22 seasons, 1907-28Also known as “The Gray Eagle,” Speaker was Ty Cobb’s chief rival during his career, spent mostly with Boston and Cleveland. He batted .300 or better in each of his first 10 full seasons, and in 18 of 22 seasons overall. The major leagues’ all-time leader in doubles (792) was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937.

Career: 20 seasons, 1995-2014Jeter added another memorable moment to his illustrious career by homering at Yankee Stadium for his 3,000th hit. He became just the second player to reach the milestone via home run (Wade Boggs was the other), and the 11th to reach the milestone playing exclusively for one team.

Career: 21 seasons, 1897-1917“The Flying Dutchman” won eight NL batting titles in a career spent mostly with Pittsburgh. Wagner was a member of the inaugural Hall of Fame class in 1936. In his “Historical Baseball Abstract,” Bill James called Wagner’s 1908 season the best of all-time. He played brilliant defense at shortstop, hit .354 with 109 RBIs in a year when the league ERA was 2.45. Ty Cobb called him “maybe the greatest star ever to take the diamond.”

Career: 23 seasons, 1963-83Yastrzemski was actually a bigger basketball star than a baseball star in high school, when he broke Jim Brown’s career scoring record in New York. He attended Notre Dame on a baseball scholarship with the intention of walking on to the basketball team as well, but he signed with the Red Sox before ever playing for the Fighting Irish. “Yaz” became a legend in Boston, where he spent his entire career. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.

Career: 21 seasons, 1978-98Although he was never a dominant player, Molitor was a feared clutch hitter with a .368 career postseason average. He hit .391 in the 1993 ALCS for Toronto, then helped the Blue Jays beat the Phillies in the 1993 World Series by going 12 for 24 with two doubles, two triples and two home runs in the six-game series.

Career: 25 seasons, 1906-30Collins played 25 seasons with the Philadelphia A’s and Chicago White Sox, and was a part of the “Black Sox” team that threw the 1919 World Series – although Collins was not regarded to be a part of the conspiracy. Baseball historian Bill James cites him as the greatest second baseman of all-time.

Career: 22 seasons, 1951-73Considered by many to be the greatest player of all-time, Mays was the original five-tool star. He stole as many as 40 bases in a season, hit a career-high of 52 home runs, had a career .302 average, and won 11 Gold Gloves awards as the center fielder for the New York and San Francisco Giants. He retired in 1973 after helping the New York Mets reach the World Series and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

Career: 21 seasons, 1977-97The only player on the list to log time with both the Dodgers and Angels, Murray was one of the game’s best players during his 12 years in Baltimore and maintained a steady output later in his career during time with the Dodgers, Mets, Indians and Angels. A switch-hitter with power, Murray hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same game 11 times in his career, an MLB record. He is one of five players with 500 career home runs and 3,000 hits.

Career: 21 seasons, 1896-1916Lajoie played for both the Philadelphia A’s and Phillies, as well as the Cleveland Bluebirds, who renamed themselves the Naps soon after acquiring Lajoie in 1902. Lajoie and Ty Cobb engaged in a memorable rivalry during the 1910 season, when the Chalmers Automobile Company offered a car to the winner of the batting title. The well-liked Lajoie and hated Cobb dueled until the end of the season, when Lajoie was allowed by the St. Louis Browns to reach base eight times in a season-ending doubleheader, giving Lajoie the lead. Both players were ultimately awarded the car.

Career: 21 seasons, 1981-2001Best remembered as baseball’s top iron man (he broke Lou Gehrig’s record by playing in his 2,131st consecutive game in 1995), Ripken was one of the game’s best infielders during the late 20th Century. A two-time MVP, Ripken played Gold Glove defense and was a 19-time All-Star, a testament to his immense popularity.

Career: 21 seasons, 1973-93The fiery Brett, who grew up in El Segundo, was the heart and soul of the Royals during their glory years from 1975 until the late ’80s. Without sacrificing power, Brett was a consistent, dependable hitter. In 1980, he won the AL MVP award by hitting 24 home runs, driving in 118 runs and batting .390, the second-highest MLB season average since 1941.

Career: 20 seasons, 1926-45Waner won the 1927 NL MVP by batting .380 and collecting 237 hits. He surpassed the 200-hit mark seven more times in his career. The right fielder nicknamed “Big Poison” came up with Pittsburgh and played 15 seasons there before moving on to the Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves. He finished his career by playing 10 games for the Yankees over two seasons in 1944 and 1945.

Career: 20 seasons, 1974-93Along with George Brett, Yount was the American League’s best pure hitter in the 1970s and ’80s. The San Fernando Valley product (Taft High) was not as powerful as Brett, but he won two AL MVP awards and collected more hits in the 1980s than any other player. He broke into the majors with the Brewers at age 18 and spent his entire career in Milwaukee.

Career: 20 seasons, 1982-2001Although his pudgy frame indicated otherwise, Gwynn was a terrific all-around athlete. No one handled a bat better in his 20 years with the San Diego Padres. Gwynn, who starred in basketball and baseball at Long Beach Poly High and then San Diego State, coined the term “5.5 hole,” so named for the left-handed hitter’s ability to consistently slap the ball between the third baseman and shortstop. He recorded 200 or more hits five times, won an NL-record eight batting titles and posted the highest average since 1941 with a .394 in the strike-shortened 1994 season.

Career: 22 seasons, 1994-presentA-Rod got his 3,000th career hit when he hammered his 667th career home run off of then-Tigers ace Justin Verlander on June 19, 2015. He became the third player to hit a home run for his 3,000th career hit, joining Wade Boggs and Derek Jeter. He also joined Jeter as the second player to collect his 3,000th career hit in a Yankees uniform.

Career: 22 seasons, 1973-95Winfield’s legacy is remembered by many for his relationship with volatile former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who signed the right fielder to a 10-year contract before the 1981 season and later dubbed him “Mr. May” for his postseason failures. None of that diminishes Winfield’s Hall of Fame career. He was an incredible athlete, drafted by teams in four pro leagues (MLB, NBA, ABA, NFL). He never played a game in the minors before debuting for the Padres in 1973. He narrowly missed winning the 1984 AL batting title and helped the Blue Jays win the 1992 World Series.

Career: 18 seasons (2001-present)Playing for the Marlins in 2016, Ichiro hit a triple to right field off of Colorado Rockies pitcher Chris Rusin that carried just beyond the reach of Gerardo Parra for his 3,000th career big-league hit, joining Molitor as the only players to reach the milestone with triples. The speedy outfielder recorded 1,278 hits in nine seasons in Japan before joining the Seattle Mariners in 2001, when he won the American League Rookie of the Year and MVP. Ichiro’s 10 seasons with 200-plus hits (all consecutive) are tied with Pete Rose for the most 200-hit seasons in MLB history. Now 44, Ichiro announced on Thursday that he will spend the rest of this season in a front-office role with the Seattle Mariners, but his agent insists he is not retiring and will attempt to play again next season.

Career: 21 seasons (1998-present)Beltre, a five-tool standout who collected his first 949 hits during seven seasons with the Dodgers, became the first player from the Dominican Republic to reach the milestone with a double on July 30, 2017. He spent time with Seattle and Boston before joining the Texas Rangers. The fifth major leaguer to hit at least 100 home runs for three different teams, he has hit at least 20 home runs in 12 different seasons, won four Silver Slugger awards and five Gold Gloves.

Career: 20 seasons, 1988-2007Playing most of his career at second base and some in center field, Biggio was an equally talented hitter, fielder and baserunner. Along with fellow “Killer B” Jeff Bagwell, Biggio was a cornerstone of the Astros franchise for 20 years. His 2,850 games played was the 15th highest-total all-time.

Career: 25 seasons, 1979-2003Considered the best leadoff hitter of all-time, Henderson rewrote the record books in several categories, using blinding speed, aggressive baserunning, power and plate discipline to climb into the top 25 all-time in six major statistical categories, including first in stolen bases (1,406), first in runs scored (2,295) and second in walks (2,190). He also holds the record for most home runs to lead off a game (81).

Career: 19 seasons, 1967-85Using a variety of relaxed batting stances, Carew swatted his way to averages of .330 or better 10 times in a career spent with the Angels and the Minnesota Twins. He had minimal power, but he still had 100 RBIs in 1977, when he batted .388 and won the AL MVP award. His career average of .328 is in the top 50 all-time. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.

Career: 19 seasons, 1961-79Brock recorded 200 hits or more four times in a career spent mostly with the Cardinals. As great a hitter as he was, Brock was an even better baserunner. He stole 118 bases in 1974 and 938 in his career, both of which stood as all-time bests until Rickey Henderson surpassed them.

Career: 20 seasons, 1986-2005Considered more of a slugger than a pure hitter, Palmeiro reached 3,000 hits in July 2005. Two weeks later, he tested positive for an anabolic steroid, ruining what were first-ballot Hall of Fame credentials. Despite being one of only four players in history with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs, he fell off the Hall of Fame ballot after four years of eligibility because he received fewer than 5 percent of the vote.

Career: 27 seasons, 1871-97Adrian “Cap” Anson was one of baseball’s first superstars. He broke into the majors in 1871 with the Rockford Forest Citys at 19 years old and batted .300 or better in all but three of his 27 seasons. Playing most of his career with the Chicago White Stockings/Colts, ancestors of the modern-day Cubs, he retired 11 years before the 1908 Cubs team won the World Series. He was the majors’ hits leader for 26 years until Ty Cobb broke his record in 1923.

Career: 20 seasons, 1982-1999In an era dominated by sluggers, Boggs proved you didn’t need power numbers to be a star. Though he played 100 games or more in all but two seasons, Boggs surpassed 10 home runs in a season just twice. A career .328 hitter and five-time AL batting champion with the Boston Red Sox, Boggs won a World Series with the 1996 Yankees, a year in which the then-38-year-old third baseman batted .311 and made his 12th consecutive All-Star Game.

Career: 22 seasons, 1953-1974No player represented the Detroit Tigers better than Kaline, who played all 22 seasons in the Motor City. He routinely hit 20-plus home runs while finishing among AL leaders in batting (his lone batting title came in 1955). He did it with minimal fanfare, which went instead to contemporaries like Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle. He was a noted clutch hitter, evidenced by his .379 average against St. Louis in the 1968 World Series.

Career: 18 seasons, 2001-presentOne of four players with 600 career home runs and 3,000 hits, the three-time NL MVP (2005, 2008, 2009) was named Sports Illustrated’s Player of the Decade. During 11 outstanding seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Dominican slugger helped the team win two World Series titles. The six-time Silver Slugger winner twice led the NL in home runs and is tied with Alex Rodriguez for most 100-RBI seasons (14) in MLB history. Pujols signed a 10-year, $254 million free-agent contract with the Angels in December of 2011, and while injuries and age have slowed him a bit he’s still got several seasons to keep adding to his staggering totals. Pujols’ .560 career slugging percentage is higher than any of the players with 3,000 hits.

Career: 22 seasons, 1955-1972Tragically, Clemente is the only player to reach 3,000 hits in his final MLB at-bat. One of the best all-around players of his generation, he is arguably the best right fielder of all time. Clemente won four batting titles with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the 1966 NL MVP award. A noted humanitarian who opened doors for Latino players, Clemente was killed on New Year’s Eve 1972, when a plane he was riding in, overloaded with supplies for earthquake victims in Nicaragua, crashed immediately after takeoff in Puerto Rico.</s>SEATTLE — Albert Pujols of the Los Angeles Angels has reached 3,000th career hits.</s>SEATTLE — Albert Pujols has become the 32nd player in major league history to reach 3,000 hits, getting a broken-bat single to right field off Seattle’s Mike Leake in the fifth inning to join the exclusive club.

Pujols dumped the single into shallow right field on his sixth attempt to reach the mark after getting to 2,999. He received a standing ovation from the crowd in Seattle and was given the baseball as a memento. His teammates all greeted Pujols on the field before action resume.

Pujols nearly got the mark in the first inning, but his hard liner was right at shortstop Jean Segura. Pujols walked on a 3-2 pitch leading off the fourth inning after fouling off four two-strike pitches.

The 38-year-old Pujols joined Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez as the fourth player in baseball history with 3,000 hits and 600 homers. He’s the first player to reach the mark since Adrian Beltre last year against Baltimore.
In baseball, the Los Angeles Angels' Albert Pujols becomes the 32nd Major League Baseball player to reach 3,000 career hits.