Carlos Beltran did not have to wait four years to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, a call he finally got on Tuesday night.
Once a dynamic and explosive center fielder, the former Mets superstar’s mix of power, composure, and speed made him a rare talent.
A nine-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, Beltran hit 435 home runs, stole 312 bases, and recorded 2,725 hits. He is one of just four players in MLB history with at least 1,500 runs, 2,700 hits, 400 home runs, and 300 steals, joining Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, and Alex Rodriguez.
Like Bonds and Rodriguez, however, there is a blemish on his record, though one he managed to overcome, unlike the others’ PED connections.
In 2019, two years after retiring as a World Series champion with the Astros in 2017 — and shortly after being named Mets manager — it was revealed that Beltran orchestrated Houston’s sign-stealing scandal that helped win their first championship in 2017.
A video camera in center field was used to steal the opposing catcher’s signs, which were then passed to a staffer in the Astros’ tunnel. A trash can would be hit a certain number of times based on the forthcoming pitch.
No other players were named in Major League Baseball’s findings, as commissioner Rob Manfred guaranteed immunity to those who came forward. Although Beltran was the leader, he was the easiest target, having just retired.
“I feel like a lot of times there are agendas that are not positive toward my way,” Beltran said. “At the end of the day … when I look at my career and the things I did in baseball, there’s no doubt that in baseball you’re going to experience ups and downs, make good decisions, so-so decisions, and bad decisions.”
Beltran was swiftly fired by the Mets before managing a single game and was out of baseball for two years. His role in the scandal seemed to sabotage his Hall-of-Fame prospects, too. He debuted on the 2023 ballot with just 46.5% of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s vote — about 30% below the 75% needed for induction.
“When I retired from baseball, I thought everything I’d built in the game, like relationships and good connections, was going to be lost,” Beltran said.
But he returned to baseball as a part-time broadcaster with the Yankees in 2021 and was then hired as a special assistant to the Mets’ general manager in 2023. He remains in that role today, working with president of baseball operations David Stearns.
“Being back in baseball, I still get love from people and players,” Beltran said. “My teammates know what kind of person I am. But I also understand that’s a story I have to deal with.”
Meanwhile, his Hall-of-Fame chances improved. He received 57.1% of the vote in 2024 and nearly made it last year, missing induction by 19 votes.
This brought clarity on how Hall of Fame stewards view this kind of baseball transgression. While proven PED use remains a deal-breaker, Beltran’s story involves more nuance.
This was a bona fide Hall of Famer concluding a brilliant career. Having a clubhouse attendant hit a trash can as a 40-year-old role player doesn’t diminish the 421 home runs, 536 doubles, and 2,617 hits he amassed in his first 19 years in the majors.
That was evident on Tuesday night when it was revealed that he garnered 84.2% of the vote. He will be officially inducted on July 26 alongside Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent.
The slightly longer wait for enshrinement in Cooperstown can be seen as his penance.
“Things can happen, different scenarios can happen,” Beltran said. “I have to say I’m happy now, I can celebrate with my family. I feel like I turned another page in my book, and I’m happy for that.”
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