Watch: Pujols closes in on milestone with 597th HR

The Machine is ticking right along to home run No. 600, as the Los Angeles Angels slugger is just three away from the exclusive round-number club.

Albert Pujols demolished a 3-1 tater served up by Tampa Bay Rays starter Erasmo Ramirez, for his fourth career homer at Tropicana Field and his 23rd dinger in that particular hitter-friendly count.

At 597 home runs and therefore 597 home run trots, Pujols has traveled more than 40 miles around the basepaths on homers alone.

Consider this your warning. After Pujols sat out the weekend series against the New York Mets nursing a hamstring injury while playing in a National League park, he could make very short work of the remaining three bombs. After all, he did hit No. 499 and 500 in the same game just over two years ago.