As Albert Pujols ages, he's realizing his limitations more and more.
Last November, following the season, the Los Angeles Angels slugger underwent surgery on his right foot, putting his return for Opening Day in doubt.
After an offseason of rest -- and some quick healing -- an April return is looking like a reality.
Pujols, in speaking with reporters including Pedro Moura of the LA Times, said he was virtually pain free just a few days after surgery.
"I was like, 'Oh my God, are you serious?'" Pujols said. "This is unreal."
The November procedure caught some off guard -- if he knew he needed it, why not have it sooner?
"I wish I would have done it earlier, but we took the risk to wait and see if it came down," Pujols said. "I'm happy with where I am right now and what I'm able to do. I talked to Dr. Anderson and he said, 'Albert, I'm going to tell you the truth, you just need to be really, really patient. That's the key to recover well.' I listened to that, and that's how I feel how I feel now."
Now, whether he'll be healthy enough to play the field or just be limited to designated hitter remains to be seen. That doesn't seem to matter to Pujols, though.
"I don't know what the difference is between playing first base and DH," he said.
Pujols enjoyed a power resurgence in 2015, blasting 40 home runs, but hit a career-low .244 across 157 games.
