MILWAUKEE – When Albert Pujols entered free agency after the 2011 season, he was the best player in the sport and he led the St. Louis Cardinals to a pair of World Series titles.

As expected, he drew a ton of interest from teams during free agency and, according to USA Today, the Reds were runner-up in the Pujols sweepstakes. The Reds offered a 10-year, $225 million contract, which was below the 10-year, $240 million deal Pujols signed with the Los Angeles Angels.

“We thought we were going to get him,” former Reds general manager Walt Jocketty told USA TODAY. “We thought he would certainly give our organization a lift with his presence, on and off the field.”

Four months after Pujols signed elsewhere, Joey Votto agreed to a franchise-record 12-year, $251.5 million contract extension. It’s unknown what the ripple effect would have been with Pujols in a Reds uniform, but the Reds had an infield featuring Votto, Brandon Phillips, Zack Cozart and Scott Rolen during the following season.

The Reds won a National League Central title in 2012, posting a 97-65 record. They lost in five games to the San Francisco Giants in the NL Divisional Series.

Pujols, 39, has a .258 batting average and .315 on-base percentage in eight seasons with the Angels. He’s averaged 25 homers and 86 RBI per season. Since joining the Angels, Pujols has undergone multiple knee surgeries and has missed time with plantar fasciitis. His injuries have forced him to primarily serve as a designated hitter for the last four years.

“With all of the injuries and everything that happened to me, it was the best-case scenario for me playing in the American League with a DH,” Pujols told USA TODAY. “It hasn’t been the best years of my career, but I’m still producing.”

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GENNETT ON SCHEDULE: On a rehab assignment at High-A Daytona, Scooter Gennett didn’t play in games Tuesday and Wednesday because of precautionary reasons on a wet field. Gennett was batting second in Thursday’s game.

Despite missing two games, Reds manager David Bell said that wouldn’t necessarily delay Gennett’s return to the Reds.

“It’s based more on just how he’s feeling,” Bell said. “That’s still going to be a matter of where he is when that (rehab) calendar that we currently have ends, and then we’ll kind of go from there.”

Gennett is expected to remain at Daytona through Friday or Saturday. Afterward, he will continue his rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville. It’s possible he could join the Reds when they begin their homestand against the Chicago Cubs on June 28.

HUGHES’ NEW WEAPON: Reds reliever Jared Hughes prides himself on inducing weak contact, but he’s done more than that in his last five appearances. Since May 31, he hasn’t allowed a hit in 6 ⅓ innings, allowing just two hitters to reach base on walks.

It’s probably not a coincidence that he’s started to throw his splitter more often, which helps keep hitters off balance. He’s thrown 26 splitters this season – including 11 in his last five outings – and opposing batters are 0-for-5 when they put it into play, according to Statcast. He’s thrown it for 6.3% of his pitches this season, up from 0.9% last year.

“That makes me a more dangerous pitcher,” Hughes said of his splitter. “It throws off the timing a little bit. Anytime you can get them off the sinker, that’s good. If I can find a way to disrupt timing, I’m all for it. I think I’m finding a way to do it. I don’t have it all figured out or anything, but I’m getting closer to it.”

Hughes has yielded a 3.30 ERA in 29 relief appearances. Despite his solid stretch of outings, Hughes says it’s important for him to remain even-keeled. Sure, the results are good, but his focus is working ahead in counts and keeping the ball on the ground.

“For the most part, I will always be that guy that’s inducing weak contact,” Hughes said. “That’s why I’m here. That’s what got me here. That’s what I need to stick here.”

SCHEBLER HEALTHY: Sidelined with a right oblique strain at Triple-A Louisville, outfielder Scott Schebler made his return to the lineup Thursday and homered in his first at-bat.

It was the first time Schebler played in a game since June 8. He went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, smacking a solo home run in the second inning to left-center field against Atlanta Braves prospect Kyle Wright.

In 31 games at Louisville, Schebler is batting .252 with a .336 on-base percentage, three homers and 10 RBI.