"It was King Felix" - Cardinals great Albert Pujols singles out Mariners legend as toughest pitcher of his career 

After he made his debut in April of 2001, slugger Albert Pujols went on to establish himself as one of the most formidable hitters in the major leagues. Known for his powerful approach at the plate, Pujols boasts a .296 batting average, 3,384 hits, 703 home runs and 2,218 RBIs for his career as a whole.

Naturally, squaring up against Pujols was something that was cause for concern for most pitchers. However, some elite talents did manage to find their way against the Dominican. One such pitcher was Seattle Mariners legend Felix Hernandez.

Speaking to insider Jack Oliver on Monday, Pujols talked about how "King Felix" was the toughest pitcher he faced in his career.

"I faced so many [great pitchers]. But, I think for me, it was King Felix," Pujols said (Timestamp- 16:46 onwards). "Felix Hernandez was one of the toughest guys I had [to face]. I always had a tough time [against him].

"You know, sometimes you get guys out of the bullpen, which is hard, because you don't face them that often. But, if I had to pick one [pitcher] right now, it's Felix Hernandez," he added.

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Felix Hernandez and Albert Pujols may both make it to the Hall of Fame in coming years

Spending his entire 15-year big league career with the Seattle Mariners, Felix Hernandez retired with plenty of awards in his cabinet. These included six All-Star selections and an AL Cy Young award.

Having already made it to the Mariners' Hall of Fame, plenty of fans claimed Hernandez also deserved to make it to Cooperstown. He appeared on the ballot for the first time in 2025. Named by 20.6% of the voters, he did not get enough support to make it to the Hall of Fame, but he will get another shot next year.

Albert Pujols (L) shakes hands with Felix Hernandez (R) - Source: Getty

Albert Pujols, on the other hand, is set to appear on the ballot for the first time in 2028, after he becomes eligible. In contrast to Hernandez, Pujols' induction to the Hall of Fame is widely considered to be a certainty.

Spending 22 seasons in the majors, Albert Pujols represented the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers. He boasts an enviable list of honors, including 11 All-Star selections, two World Series titles, three NL MVP awards, two Gold Gloves, six Silver Slugger awards and a whole host of other notable accolades.