Albert Pujols' Career Batting Average Drops Below .300 for 1st Time Since 2001

It doesn't get much more consistent than Albert Pujols.

The Los Angeles Angels slugger flew out in the first inning of Wednesday's game against the New York Yankees, which brought his career batting average to .299. According to Elias Sports Bureau, it marks the first time Pujols has featured a career batting average below .300 since he started his rookie campaign in 2001 at 4-for-14 (.286).

His batting average is so high because of his 11 years with the St. Louis Cardinals and not his eight years with the Angels.

It was above .300 every year but his last (2011) in St. Louis, and even then it was at .299. However, he has never finished a season on the Angels with a batting average above .285, and he is hitting .249 this season. It would mark his third straight year with a batting average below .250.

While his production has dipped with the Angels, one look at his resume proves he is still one of the best hitters in major league history.

Pujols is a two-time World Series champion, three-time National League MVP, 10-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year, six-time Silver Slugger and two-time Gold Glove winner who also won the batting title in 2003 with a head-turning .359 average.

The Angels are not playoff contenders as the 2019 season winds down, but Pujols is still playing for something. If he plays well down the stretch, he can get his career batting average back above the .300 mark.