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BenFred: Games 2-162 will be ripe for debating Pujols' playing time. Sit back and enjoy opening day.

JUPITER, Fla. — A short list of historic names and one circled number found on Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol’s notes hinted at the news he was prepared to announce Monday morning.

Next to Pete Rose, Carl Yastrzemski and Hank Aaron was Albert Pujols.

The circled number on the page was 22.

As in, Pujols’ opening-day start at designated hitter on Thursday for the Cardinals against the Pirates will become his 22nd consecutive opening-day start since he made his major-league debut with the Cardinals in 2001. Rose (23) is the only player higher on that list. Pujols on Thursday will tie Yastrzemski and Aaron (22).