Pujols crowned AL Player of the Month

Albert Pujols took home the American League Player of the Month Award for June on Thursday -- further proof that he's re-established himself as one of the game's most formidable sluggers.

For Pujols, it's his seventh Player of the Month Award, and his first with the Angels. He last took home the honor in August 2010 with the Cardinals.

Pujols hit .303/.395/.737 in June with 13 homers -- the most in the Majors. He racked up 73 total bases, tied with Manny Machado for the most in the AL. (And he managed to do so with just a .218 batting average on balls in play.)

The last Angel to win the award was Mike Trout, who did so last June. Before that, no Angels player had earned the award since Bobby Abreu and Kendrys Morales took home Player of the Month honors back-to-back in July and August of 2009.

Pujols' torrid June has brought his overall season numbers to .263 with 24 homers -- the most in the AL, and three ahead of Trout (21), who sits in second.

In June, Pujols passed both Mickey Mantle (536) and Jimmie Foxx (534) on the all-time home run list. He enters July at 16th all-time with 544, trailing Mike Schmidt by four.