Angels first baseman Albert Pujols will reportedly pay the salaries of furloughed team employees in the Dominican Republic, which totals around $180,000.
More than two weeks after the Angels made severe budget cuts to their baseball operations department, first baseman Albert Pujols is doing his part to help.
Pujols has pledged to cover the salaries of furloughed staff in the Dominican Republic for about five months, which totals around $180,000, according to Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times.
The Angels furloughed all of their area scouts in amateur and international departments, as well as members of the team's player development staff and minor league coaches and coordinators.
Torres reports that the club's operations in the Dominican Republic were particularly impacted, as nearly all employees based at the Angels' Boca Chica academy were furloughed. The facility is where most of the club's international prospects begin their careers. Torres cites a source that said around 90% of employees there were affected.
As the league and the MLB players' union continue to work toward a deal that would bring the start of the 2020 season, there's no timetable for the restarting of minor league operations. The team set up an assistance program of $1 million to assist employees who were impacted.
According to Torres, Pujols consulted with general manager Billy Eppler to find out how much it would cost to cover the salaries for staff in the Dominican Republic.
The 2020 season marks the ninth year of Pujols' deal with the Angels, which he signed in December 2011 for 10 years, $240 million. He was scheduled to make $29 million in 2020 before the season was suspended.