Carlos Beltrán
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Carlos Iván Beltrán (; born April 24, 1977) is a Puerto Rican former professional
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to catch ...
. He played in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) as an
outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to catch ...
from 1998 to 2017 for the
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
,
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...
,
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
,
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
,
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
,
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
, and Texas Rangers. A right-handed thrower and
switch hitter In baseball, a switch hitter is a player who bats both right-handed and left-handed, usually right-handed against left-handed pitchers and left-handed against right-handed pitchers, although there are some exceptions. Characteristics Right-han ...
, Beltrán stands tall and weighs . Beltrán was the
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
(AL) Rookie of the Year in 1999 while with the Royals. He was named to nine
MLB All-Star Game The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...
s and won three
Gold Glove Awards The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances. It is awarded at each fieldin ...
and two
Silver Slugger Award The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best Batting (baseball), offensive player at each Baseball positions, position in both the American League (AL) and the National League (baseball), National League (NL), as determ ...
s. Beltrán was the fifth player to reach both 400 home runs and 300 stolen bases and just the fourth switch hitter with 400 home runs. He has the highest success rate in stealing bases (88.3%) of any major league player with 300 or more career attempts. He also joined the
30–30 club In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 30–30 club is the group of 47 Batter (baseball), batters who have collected 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a single season. ''Baseball Digest'' called the 30–30 club "the most celebrated feat that can ...
in 2004. In 2013, Beltrán was named the recipient of the prestigious
Roberto Clemente Award The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) baseball positions, player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community#Psychology, community involvement and the individual's contribution to ...
. He retired after the 2017 season, winning a World Series title with the Astros. Beltrán was among the best all-time statistical hitters in postseason games, which has earned him nicknames such as "the New Mr. October", "Mr. October Jr.", "Señor Octubre", and "the real Mr. October" from the media. In 56 plate appearances during the 2004 playoffs, he scored 21 runs to set a record for most runs scored in one postseason (
Jose Altuve Jose Carlos Altuve (; born May 6, 1990) is a Venezuelan professional baseball second baseman for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). Having played for the Astros since 2011, he is the longest-tenured current member of the team, an ...
has since tied the record). Following retirement from baseball, Beltrán was hired as the manager of his former team, the Mets, for the 2020 season. However, he stepped down without managing a game after the Astros sign stealing scandal broke in late 2019. While Beltrán was the only player to be named in the investigation report, the extent of his involvement in the scheme has been disputed. Beltrán was briefly an analyst for
YES Network The Yankee Entertainment and Sports Network (YES) is an American pay television regional sports network owned by Yankee Global Enterprises (the largest shareholder with 26%), Main Street Sports Group (which owns 20%), Amazon (which owns 15% ...
in 2022 and has been a member of the Mets' front office since 2023.


Early life

In his youth, Beltrán excelled in many sports, with
volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
and
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
being his favorites. At his father's urging, he gave up volleyball to concentrate on baseball when he was seventeen. He was originally a shortstop before moving to the outfield. He graduated from Fernando Callejo High School in 1995.


Professional career


Draft and minor leagues

The
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
selected Beltrán in the second round of the
1995 Major League Baseball draft The 1995 Major League Baseball draft began June 1995 to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The draft order is the reverse order of the 1994 MLB season standings. In addition, compensation picks were distributed for players who did not s ...
. After he signed, the Royals assigned him to the
Gulf Coast Royals The Gulf Coast League (GCL) Royals were a minor league baseball franchise in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League from 1971–1978, 1982–1983 and 1985–2002. The club was owned and operated by the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball. The ...
of the
Rookie-level Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National L ...
Gulf Coast League The Florida Complex League (FCL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in Florida, United States. Before 2021, it was known as the Gulf Coast League (GCL). Together with the Arizona Complex League (ACL), it forms the low ...
. Originally only hitting right-handed, he batted .276 with no home runs. During the off-season, Beltrán taught himself to hit left-handed, with advice from New York Yankees outfielder
Bernie Williams Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. (born September 13, 1968) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player and current musician. He played his entire 16-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the New York Yankees from 1991 through ...
and Royals minor league coach Kevin Long. In 1996, he played for the
Spokane Indians The Spokane Indians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Spokane Valley, the city immediately east of Spokane, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest. The Indians are members of the High-A Northwest League (NWL) as an affiliate of the Co ...
of the
Class A-Short Season Class A Short Season (officially Short-Season A) was a level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States from 1965 through 2020. In the hierarchy of minor league classifications, it was below Triple-A, Double-A, Class A-Advanced (crea ...
Northwest League The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseba ...
, and the
Lansing Lugnuts The Lansing Lugnuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Athletics (baseball), Athletics. They are located in Lansing, Michigan, and play their home games at Jackson Field (Lansing), Jackson Fie ...
of the Class A
Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
. In 1997 he spent the entire season playing for the
Wilmington Blue Rocks The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Wilmington, Delaware, and play their home games at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium. Fra ...
of the
Class A-Advanced High-A, officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing, is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A and D ...
Carolina League The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 unti ...
. He began the 1998 season with Wilmington and received a promotion to the
Wichita Wranglers The Wichita Wranglers were a minor league baseball team based in Wichita, Kansas. The team, which played in the Texas League, was the Double-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres from 1987 to 1994 and the Kansas City Royals fro ...
of the
Class AA Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League B ...
Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
.Carlos Beltran Minor League Statistics
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 2, 2017.


Kansas City Royals (1998–2004)


1998–99

Beltrán made his major league debut on September 14, 1998, playing 15 games. Unlike many players, he never played in Triple-A. In 14 games of the 1998 baseball year, Beltrán got 16 hits, 5 doubles, 3 triples, and 7 RBIs with a .276 batting average during his time in the majors.Carlos Beltran Stats
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
By 1999, he won the job as the Royals' starting
center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the ...
and leadoff hitter. He displayed significant power by midsummer and was moved to the #3 slot in the batting order.1999 Kansas City Royals Batting Orders
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
Beltrán won the
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
Rookie of the Year award, batting .293 with 22
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...
s, 108
runs batted in A run batted in or runs batted in (RBI) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if th ...
(RBIs) and 27
stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base unaided by other actions and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or out ...
s in 156 games played. On September 27, 1999, Beltrán made the final out at Tiger Stadium, striking out against
relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
Todd Jones Todd Barton Jones (born April 24, 1968) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was an effective middle reliever for several teams and also filled the role of closer, most no ...
as the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
beat the Royals 8–2.


2000–2003

Injuries restricted Beltrán to 98 games during the 2000 season and he slumped to .247,Posnanski, Joe
Carlos Beltran, from Royals project to Paul Newman
NBC Sports. October 15, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
losing his center field position to the popular
Johnny Damon Johnny David Damon (born November 5, 1973) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1995 to 2012. During his MLB career, Damon played for the Kansas City Royals (1995–2000), Oakland A ...
.2000 Kansas City Royals Batting Orders
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
After Damon was traded to the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
following the season, Beltrán regained his job in 2001 and recaptured his rookie form. He batted .306 with 24 home runs and 101 RBIs in that season, followed by lines of .273-29-105 in 2002 and .307-26-100 in 2003.


2004

In 2003, Beltrán batted .194 in April. His luck changed in 2004, as Beltrán began the year with eight home runs and 19 RBIs and was selected as American League Player of the Month for April. In the first 69 games of the 2004 season, Beltrán batted .278 with 15 homers, 51 RBI, and 14 stolen bases. Playing for a small market club and represented by agent
Scott Boras Scott Dean Boras (born November 2, 1952) is an American sports agent, specializing in baseball. He is the founder, owner and president of the Boras Corporation, a sports agency based in Newport Beach, California, that represents roughly 175 pro ...
, Beltrán endured trade rumors through the 2003 and 2004 seasons. As the end of his contract neared, the two sides failed to negotiate a long-term deal. Following an interleague doubleheader loss to the last-place
Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...
, Royals'
general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
Allard Baird Allard Baird (; born November 8, 1961) is an American professional baseball executive, currently serving as an advisor for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He previously was the vice president and assistant general manager for scouting and player develop ...
informed reporters that he was preparing to dismantle the team and rebuild it for the 2005 season.


Houston Astros (2004)

On June 24, 2004, the Royals traded Beltrán to the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...
in a three-team deal, which also sent relief pitcher
Octavio Dotel Octavio Eduardo Dotel Diaz (November 25, 1973 – April 8, 2025) was a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for 13 major league teams, the second-most of any player in history. ...
from the Astros to the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
, while the Royals picked up Oakland minor leaguers (pitcher Mike Wood and third-baseman
Mark Teahen Mark Thomas Teahen (born September 6, 1981) is an American-Canadian former professional baseball infielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays. He graduated from Yuca ...
) and Astros' catcher John Buck.A's acquire Dotel; Royals get 3 prospects
Associated Press. June 28, 2004. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
While still a Royal, Beltrán had been selected as an AL starting outfielder for the 2004 All-Star Game. After being traded to the Astros, Beltrán was ruled ineligible for the AL roster and was not listed on the NL roster. However, after NL starter
Ken Griffey Jr. George Kenneth Griffey Jr. (born November 21, 1969), nicknamed "Junior" and "the Kid", is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played 22 years in Major League Baseball (MLB). He spent most of his career with the Seattle Mari ...
, went on the disabled list, Beltrán was named his substitute.Lukas, Paul
Trades lead to odd All-Star unis
ESPN.com. June 8, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
For the rest of the 2004 season with the Astros, Beltrán played 90 games, batting .258 with 23 home runs, 53 RBI, and 28 stolen bases. Overall in 2004 combined with both teams he played for, Beltrán played 159 games with a .267 batting average, 38 home runs, 42 stolen bases, 104 RBI, and 121 runs scored. In the 2004 playoffs, Beltrán tied
Barry Bonds Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24, 1964) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Bonds was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1986 to 1992 and the San Francisco Giants f ...
' single post-season record with eight home runs. He hit one in each of the first four games of the
National League Championship Series The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two Natio ...
(NLCS) against the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
, including the game-winner in Game 4. He hit two home runs in Game 5 of the previous playoff round in the
National League Division Series In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
(NLDS) against the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
; it was the first time Beltran or the Astros had won a postseason series and his performance was the first time that an Astro had hit two home runs in a postseason game. In total, Beltrán clubbed at least one home run in a record-setting five consecutive postseason games, outnumbered only by Daniel Murphy's home runs in six consecutive postseason games in 2015. In 12 games in the 2004 playoffs, Beltrán batted .435 with 14 RBIs and 21 runs scored.


New York Mets (2005–2011)


2005–06

Following the 2004 season, Beltrán became a free agent. The
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
were tipped as favorites and Beltrán allegedly offered them a $19 million discount. The Yankees declined and the crosstown
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
signed him to a seven-year, $119-million contract, the biggest in franchise history at the time. It became the tenth contract in baseball history to surpass $100 million. On August 11, 2005, in a game against the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...
at
Petco Park Petco Park is a ballpark in San Diego, California. It is the home of the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). The ballpark is located in the East Village neighborhood of downtown San Diego, adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter. Petco Par ...
, Beltrán was seriously injured after colliding head-to-head with fellow Mets outfielder
Mike Cameron Michael Terrance Cameron (born January 8, 1973) is an American former professional Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, Bos ...
when both were diving to catch a ball in shallow right center field. Cameron missed the rest of the season with a concussion, temporary loss of vision, and two broken cheekbones. Beltrán suffered
vertigo Vertigo is a condition in which a person has the sensation that they are moving, or that objects around them are moving, when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. It may be associated with nausea, vomiting, perspira ...
for a while, although both players eventually recovered. A quadriceps injury bothered him most of the 2005 season and limited his speed. In 582 at bats, Beltrán's stats included career lows in batting average (.266), home runs (16), RBIs (78), runs scored (83), and stolen bases (17). Despite the limited participation, he was still voted to his second All-Star team. Beltrán played for Puerto Rico in the
2006 World Baseball Classic The 2006 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was the inaugural tournament between national baseball teams that included players from Major League Baseball. It was held from March 3 to 20 in stadiums in or around Tokyo, Japan, and the American cities o ...
, joining
Carlos Delgado Carlos Juan Delgado Hernández (born June 25, 1972) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball primarily as a first baseman, from 1993 to 2009, most prominently as a member of the Toront ...
,
Bernie Williams Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. (born September 13, 1968) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player and current musician. He played his entire 16-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the New York Yankees from 1991 through ...
, Javier Vázquez,
Iván Rodríguez Iván Rodríguez Torres (born November 27, 1971), nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Ran ...
and others on the team managed by
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
third base
coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of Athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...
José Oquendo.2006 World Baseball Classic – Cuba vs Puerto Rico – March 15, 2006
Getty Images. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
His 2006 season was an upgrade on his first year in New York. Boosted by 10 home runs in May, he surpassed his home run total from the previous year before the season was half over.Carlos Beltran 2006 Batting Gamelogs
Baseball-Reference.com Retrieved November 4, 2017.
Beltrán's performance secured him a spot in the 2006 All-Star Game, his third. Five other Mets joined him, including three as starters. Beltrán was a standout for the NL as the only batter with multiple hits, along with two stolen bases. He scored the go-ahead run that gave the National League a 2–1 lead in the third inning, though the American League won the game. He hit
grand slam Grand Slam or Grand slam may refer to: Games and sports * Grand slam, winning category terminology originating in contract bridge and other whist card games Athletics * Grand Slam Track, professional track and field league Auto racing * ...
s in consecutive games on July 16 and 18, becoming the 23rd player to do so.Beltran and Mets Slam the Reds, 8–3
LA Times. July 19, 2006. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
Another grand slam at the end of July made him only the third Met to hit three in one season.Beltran, Mets tie records for grand slams in month
Associated Press. July 31, 2006. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
Beltrán continued to produce with a
walk-off home run In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. For a home run to end the game, it must be hit in the bottom of the final inning and generate enough runs to exceed the opponent's score. Because the opponent will not have an opp ...
against the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
on August 22, off Cardinals closer
Jason Isringhausen Jason Derik Isringhausen ( born September 7, 1972) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and coach. He pitched in Major League Baseball from 1995 through 2012 for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay ...
.STL@NYM: Beltran blasts a walk-off two-run homer
MLB Youtube Channel. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
It was Beltrán's second walk-off of the season, following a 16th-inning gamewinner against the
Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...
.Botte, Peter
Beltran Shot is Sweet in 16. Carlos' HR sparks Mets in marathon
NY Daily News. May 24, 2006. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
Beltrán's 41 home runs tied the Mets' single season record for homers, matching
Todd Hundley Todd Randolph Hundley (born May 27, 1969) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher and outfielder. He was a two-time All-Star who played for 14 seasons with the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs. Early life Hundley ...
's total in 1996. (This record was broken by
Pete Alonso Peter Morgan Alonso (born December 7, 1994), nicknamed "Polar Bear", is an American professional baseball first baseman for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). Internationally, Alonso represents the United States. Alonso played co ...
in 2019.) His 127 runs scored gave him sole possession of the Mets' single season franchise mark.New York Mets Top 10 Single-Season Batting Leaders
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
He and teammate José Reyes won the
Silver Slugger Award The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best Batting (baseball), offensive player at each Baseball positions, position in both the American League (AL) and the National League (baseball), National League (NL), as determ ...
at their respective positions.2006 Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger teams announced
. MLB.com. November 11, 2006. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
He also tied for the major league lead in times reached base on an error (13). Beltrán's defense was also recognized during the 2006 season, as he received his first
Gold Glove award The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual Fielding (baseball), fielding performances. It is awar ...
. He made only two errors in 372 chances to give him a .995 fielding percentage, and recorded 13 outfield assists and six double plays. He also won a
Fielding Bible Award A Fielding Bible Award recognizes the best defensive player for each baseball positions, fielding position in Major League Baseball (MLB) based on "statistical analysis, the eye test, and any other factors that anelistswish to utilize." John D ...
as the top fielding center fielder in MLB. Beltrán came fourth in the National League
MVP MVP most commonly refers to: * Most valuable player, an award, typically for the best performing player in a sport or competition * Minimum viable product, a concept for feature estimating used in business and engineering MVP may also refer to: ...
award voting, behind winner
Ryan Howard Ryan James Howard (born November 19, 1979), nicknamed "the Big Piece", is an American former professional baseball first baseman. Howard spent his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career playing for the Philadelphia Phillies, from to . He is ...
, Albert Pujols, and
Lance Berkman William Lance Berkman (born February 10, 1976), nicknamed "Fat Elvis" and "Big Puma", is an American baseball coach and former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman, who is the former head baseball coach of the Houston Christian Hu ...
.Howard beats out Pujols to win NL MVP award
Associated Press. November 22, 2006. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
Returning to the playoffs, Beltrán hit three home runs in the
NLCS The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a Playoff format#Best-of-seven playoff, best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Major League Baseball po ...
, bringing his career playoff total to 11 home runs in 22 games. However, with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the NLCS against the Cardinals, Beltrán struck out looking against
Adam Wainwright Adam Parrish Wainwright (born August 30, 1981), nicknamed "Waino" and "Uncle Charlie", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Atlanta ...
, ending the New York Mets season.


2007–08

In
2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
, Beltrán hit below .230 from May to July. However, he improved in August and September, finishing with a .276 batting average and 112 RBIs.Carlos Beltran 2007 Batting Gamelogs
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
In July, he made his fourth All-Star Game appearance and upon the conclusion of the season, won his second straight Gold Glove award. In
2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
, Beltrán batted .284 with 27 home runs and 112 RBI. In the final game before the
All-Star game An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...
, Beltrán hit his 15th home run of the season. On August 29, Beltrán collected all five RBIs for the Mets including a grand slam with two outs in the 9th to give the Mets a 5–2 lead. The Mets won this game 5–4. Beltrán hit the last and only Mets home run in the final regular season game at Shea Stadium (the last home run was by
Dan Uggla Daniel Cooley Uggla (born March 11, 1980) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, and Washington Nationals. In 2010, Uggla ...
). The home run was a two-run shot that tied the game 2–2 against the
Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. The team plays its home games at LoanDepot Park. The ...
. Beltrán won his third straight Gold Glove award in the outfield for the Mets. He also won his second Fielding Bible Award as the top MLB center fielder in 2008.


2009–2011

Beltrán recorded his 1,000th RBI against
Scott Olsen Scott Matthew Olsen (born January 12, 1984) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Florida Marlins and Washington Nationals between 2005 and 2010. Early life Olsen was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He attended Cr ...
(
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...
) with a
triple Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a " treble": Sports * Triple (baseball), a three-base hit * A basketball three-point field goal * A figure skating jump with three rotations * In bowling terms, three strikes in a row * I ...
in the third inning on April 24, 2009. In the voting for the 2009 All Star Game, Beltrán was third among NL outfielders (2,812,295 votes), trailing only
Ryan Braun Ryan Joseph Braun (born November 17, 1983) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played his entire career for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2007 to 2020. Braun also played right fielder, right ...
(4,138,559) and
Raúl Ibañez Raúl Javier Ibañez (; born June 2, 1972) is an American former professional baseball left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) now serving as vice president of baseball development and special projects for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played ...
(4,053,355). On January 13, 2010, Beltrán had surgery on his knee and was originally expected to miss 8–12 weeks. The procedure was performed by Beltrán's personal physician Dr.
Richard Steadman J. Richard Steadman (June 4, 1937 – January 20, 2023) was an American orthopedic surgeon and founder of The Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute (SPRI) located in Vail, Colorado. Steadman revolutionized orthopedic surgery. ...
. The Mets stated that the surgery was done without their consent, and the team expressed their disappointment with Beltrán's decision. However, Beltrán's agent,
Scott Boras Scott Dean Boras (born November 2, 1952) is an American sports agent, specializing in baseball. He is the founder, owner and president of the Boras Corporation, a sports agency based in Newport Beach, California, that represents roughly 175 pro ...
, claimed that the Mets consented to the procedure. Beltrán played his first game of the 2010 season on July 15. Due to his declining defense, in 2011, Beltrán was moved from center field to right field. On May 12, 2011, playing against the
Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. Th ...
, Beltrán hit three two-run home runs in a 9–5 Mets' victory. It was the first three-home run game of his career, and he became only the eighth Mets hitter in history to hit three home runs in a single game.


San Francisco Giants (2011)

On July 28, 2011, after he waived his
no-trade clause In professional sports within the United States and Canada, a trade is a sports league transaction between sports clubs involving the exchange of player rights from one team to another. Though player rights are the primary trading assets, draft ...
, the Mets traded Beltrán to the
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
in exchange for pitching prospect
Zack Wheeler Zachary Harrison Wheeler (born May 30, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Mets. Wheeler was born to a baseball-playin ...
. The Mets also sent $4 million cash to the Giants to cover Beltrán's remaining $6.5 million contract, which expired at the end of the 2011 season.Sullivan, Jeff
Carlos Beltran Trade Accepted; Giants Send Zack Wheeler To Met
SBNation.com. July 28, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
The day after the trade, Beltrán got his first
hit Hit means to strike someone or something. Hit or HIT may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Hit, a fictional character from ''Dragon Ball Super'' * Homicide International Trust or HIT, a fictional organization i ...
with the Giants (an RBI
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
to left field in the first inning), going 1-for-5 while playing
right field A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In t ...
against the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...
. The Giants eventually lost to the Reds 4–3 in thirteen innings.Carlos Beltran 2011 Batting Gamelogs
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
On September 14, Beltrán hit two solo home runs against
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...
' starting pitcher
Mat Latos Mathew Adam Latos ( ; born December 9, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres from 2009 through 2011, the Cincinnati Reds from 2012 through 2014, and the Miami ...
. The shot gave him 20 home runs for the season and 300 for his career. Prior to this game, Beltrán had never hit against Latos. Both home runs were hit to the right side of the field with Beltrán batting from the left side. The 299th hit the arcade, and the 300th landed in
McCovey Cove McCovey Cove is the unofficial name of a section of San Francisco Bay beyond the right field wall of Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, named after famed Giants first baseman Willie McCovey. The proper name for the cove is China Basin ...
which increased the " Splash Hit" count to 59.Mccauley, Janie
Latos gives up 2 homers to Beltran in Padres' loss
September 14, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
Both home runs proved to be crucial, as the Giants swept the Padres in a 3-game series, with a score of 3–1. His home runs in the series accounted for 4 out of the 14 runs.Center, Bill

San Diego Union Tribune. September 14, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
For the rest of the 2011 season with the Giants, Beltrán played 44 games batting .323 with 7 home runs and 18 RBI. Overall in 2011 combined with both teams he played for, Beltrán played 142 total games batting .300 with 22 home runs and 84 RBI.


St. Louis Cardinals (2012–2013)


2012

On December 22, 2011, Beltrán agreed to a two-year deal with the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
worth $26 million which included a full
no-trade clause In professional sports within the United States and Canada, a trade is a sports league transaction between sports clubs involving the exchange of player rights from one team to another. Though player rights are the primary trading assets, draft ...
. After Beltrán signed with the Cardinals, he attained numerous milestones, personal as well other firsts. On April 4, 2012
Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent year ...
, Beltrán recorded the first-ever hit in a regular-season game at
Marlins Park LoanDepot Park (officially stylized as loanDepot park, and named Marlins Park until 2021) is a retractable roof stadium located in Miami, Florida, United States. It is the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Miami Marlins. It is located on on ...
against Josh Johnson of the
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League East, East Division. The ...
.STL@MIA: Beltran records first hit at Marlins Park
MLB Youtube Channel. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
Beltrán was named
NL Player of the Week In Major League Baseball (MLB), the Player of the Week Award is given weekly during the regular season. It is given to two outstanding players, one each in the National League (NL) and American League (AL). The NL first awarded the honor during t ...
on May 14 after he hit .360 (9-for-25) with six home runs, 13 RBIs, eight runs, 30 total bases for a 1.200 slugging percentage and 1.648 OPS in the previous six games. He hit safely in five of the six games and homered in four of them. It was his ninth career weekly award, and sixth in the NL. On June 1, in his first game in
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
after leaving the Mets, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. In one notable moment, a Beltrán batted ball touched the outside part of the foul line but was ruled a foul ball in a game in which former teammate,
Johan Santana Johan Alexander Santana Araque (; born March 13, 1979) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball starting pitcher. Santana pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins from 2000 to 2007 and for the New York Mets from 2008 ...
, was credited with throwing the first no-hitter in Mets' history. Two weeks later, on June 15, while batting against another former team in the
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
, Beltrán stole second base in the second inning to become the first switch-hitter in MLB history to attain 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases, and the eighth player overall. In a June 29 home game versus the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
, he recorded a single in the third inning for his 2,000th hit, becoming the 270th player in MLB history to do so. The day after he got his 2,000th hit, Beltrán collected his 400th double, becoming the 170th player to do so. Beltrán also participated in that year's
Home Run Derby The Home Run Derby is an annual home run hitting competition in Major League Baseball (MLB) customarily held the day before the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, MLB All-Star Game, which places the contest on a Monday in July. In the context ...
.Snyder, Matt
2012 Home Run Derby
July 9, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
The Mets announced on June 18, 2012, that Beltrán was selected as the starting center fielder for 50th Anniversary Mets All-Time Team. In the
2012 National League Wild Card Game The 2012 National League Wild Card Game was a play-in game during Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2012 Major League Baseball season#Postseason, 2012 postseason played between the National League (baseball), National League's (NL) two Major League ...
, his first postseason game since 2006, Beltrán had 1 hit in 4 at-bats, scoring a run in the 4th inning.2012 National League Wild Card (NLWC) Game 1, Cardinals at Braves, October 5
Baseball-Reference.com Retrieved November 4, 2017.
In the NLDS against the Nationals, Beltrán went 8–18 at the plate with 2 home runs and 4 RBI. Down 5–7 in the 9th inning in game 5 of the NLDS, Beltrán hit a leadoff double off of
Drew Storen Drew Patrick Storen (born August 11, 1987) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, and Cincinnati Reds. The Nats sel ...
, eventually scoring two outs later on a Daniel Descalso single. The Cardinals would win the game 9–7.Kilgore, Adam
Washington Nationals lose, 9–7; St. Louis Cardinals advance to NLCS
Washington Post. October 13, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
In the 2012 National League Championship Series, Beltrán batted .300 with 2 RBI and 2 stolen bases.2012 NLCS
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
He played in 6 of the 7 games in the series, missing most of game 3 and all of game 4 after suffering a knee injury.Rosencrans, C
NLCS Game 5: Carlos Beltran returns, rain not expected to
CBS Sports. October 19, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
Playing in his 3rd NLCS game 7 in his career, Beltrán went 1–4 at the plate as the Cardinals lost 0–9 to the
Giants A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore. Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to: Mythology and religion *Giants (Greek mythology) * Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'g ...
.Crouse, Karen
3 Up and 3 Down: Beltran Fails in the N.L.C.S. Again
October 23, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2017.


2013

In
2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
, Beltrán played in 145 games with a .296 batting average, 24 home runs and 84 RBI. Beltrán played in his 2,000th game on July 11, 2013. That same month, he was selected to his third straight All-Star Game. In October, Beltrán was the recipient of the
Roberto Clemente Award The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) baseball positions, player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community#Psychology, community involvement and the individual's contribution to ...
, becoming the fourth Cardinals player to win it, joining Albert Pujols,
Ozzie Smith Osborne Earl Smith (born December 26, 1954) is an American former professional baseball player. Nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz", Smith played shortstop for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball, winning the National ...
, and
Lou Brock Louis Clark Brock (June 18, 1939September 6, 2020) was an American professional baseball left fielder. He began his 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the 1961 Chicago Cubs but spent most of it as a left fielder for the St. Louis ...
. In the
2013 National League Division Series The 2013 National League Division Series were two best-of-five-game series to determine the baseball teams to participate in the 2013 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners (seeded 1-3 based on record) and a fourth te ...
against the
Pirates Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...
, Beltrán had 4 hits in 18 at-bats, hitting 2 home runs and 6 RBI in the series.2013 NL Division Series – Cardinals vs. Pirates
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
In game 1 of the
2013 National League Championship Series The 2013 National League Championship Series, the 44th NLCS, was a best-of-seven playoff in Major League Baseball’s 2013 postseason pitting the top-seeded St. Louis Cardinals against the third-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers for Major League Baseb ...
against the
Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. Founded in 1883 in Brooklyn, New York, the ...
, Beltrán hit a double at the bottom of the 3rd inning to tie the game 2–2. At the top of the 10th inning, with the game still tied 2–2, Beltrán threw out Mark Ellis at the plate after catching a fly ball, completing a double-play that prevented the Dodgers from taking the lead. At the bottom of the 13th inning, Beltrán hit a walk-off single off of
Kenley Jansen Kenley Geronimo Jansen (born September 30, 1987) is a Curaçaoan professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and Boston Red ...
, giving the Cardinals a 3–2 victory.Stark, Jayson
Carlos Beltran does it again
ESPN.com. October 12, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
2013 National League Championship Series (NLCS) Game 1, Dodgers at Cardinals, October 11
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
For the whole NLCS, Beltrán had 6 hits and 6 RBI in 21 at-bats. The Cardinals won the series 4–2, and Beltrán advanced to the first World Series in his career.2013 NLCS
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
Knisley, Michael
Carlos Beltran finally Series-bound
ESPN.com. October 19, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
In Game 1 of the
2013 World Series The 2013 World Series was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2013 Major League Baseball season, 2013 season. The 109th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (A ...
against the
Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ch ...
, Beltrán injured his ribs in the 2nd inning after
robbing Robbing is a term used in beekeeping. Bees from one beehive will try to rob honey from another hive. Occurrence Robbing behavior is especially strong when there is little nectar in the field. Strong colonies with the largest stores are the most ap ...
David Ortiz David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975), nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican Americans, Dominican-American former professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1997 ...
of a grand slam.Lee, Tony
Carlos Beltran (ribs) day to day
ESPN.com. October 24, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
Despite the injury, Beltrán would play in all 6 games of the series, batting .294 with 5 hits and 3 RBI as the Cardinals fell to the Red Sox four games to two.2013 World Series
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
Beltrán filed for
free agency In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
after the World Series ended on October 30. On November 9, Beltrán declined a one-year, $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Cardinals, making him a free agent.


New York Yankees (2014–2016)

On December 6, 2013, Beltrán agreed to a three-year, $45 million deal to join the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
, despite receiving a $48 million offer from another team. The deal became official on December 19, 2013.


2014

On April 13,
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
, Beltrán played at first base for the first time in his professional career after
Francisco Cervelli Francisco Cervelli (born March 6, 1986) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball catcher and current manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, and Miami Marlins from 2008 ...
left the game due to a hamstring injury.Baumbach, Jim
Carlos Beltran gets first taste of first base
Newsday.com. April 14, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
On the night of May 12, 2014, Beltrán experienced soreness in his right elbow. It was revealed that the elbow had a
bone spur An exostosis, also known as a osteochondroma, is a benign chondrogenic lesions derived from aberrant cartilage from the perichondral ring. Exostoses can cause chronic pain ranging from mild to moderate, but rarely severe, depending on the shape, s ...
and was immediately given a cortisone shot.Castillo, Jorge
Carlos Beltran given cortisone shot for bone spur in right elbow; surgery a possibility
The Star Ledger. May 13, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
He was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 15, 2014.Hampl, Alex
New York Yankees place Carlos Beltran on 15-day DL
Sports Illustrated. May 15, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
He was activated on June 5, 2014. To prevent any further damage to the elbow, he was used primarily as a designated hitter for the remainder of the season.Gleeman, Aaron
Carlos Beltran can’t throw, so he’s a designated hitter only
NBC Sports. June 25, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
On September 16, 2014, Beltrán left the team for an indefinite period of time due to his wife's miscarriage. Limited to 109 games in 2014, Beltrán batted .233 with 15 home runs and 49 RBI. On October 1, 2014, he underwent surgery to remove loose pieces and a bone spur in his right elbow, which required 12 weeks to recover. The procedure was performed by Yankees head team physician, Dr. Christopher Ahmad.Yankees Outfielder Carlos Beltran Undergoes Elbow Surgery
CBS New York. September 30, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2017.


2015

Beltrán got off to a slow start in 2015, batting around .200 through April. He slowly improved throughout the season and in September had a batting average over .280.Carlos Beltran 2015 Batting Gamelogs
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
On July 3, Beltrán was placed on the 15-day disabled list with an
oblique Oblique may refer to: * an alternative name for the character usually called a slash (punctuation) ( / ) *Oblique angle, in geometry * Oblique triangle, in geometry * Oblique lattice, in geometry * Oblique leaf base, a characteristic shape of the ...
injury. He was activated on July 19. On August 14 against the Blue Jays, Beltrán hit a pinch-hit go-ahead 3-run home run in the 8th inning. It proved to be the game winner and temporarily put the Yankees back in 1st place.Kuty, Brendan
WATCH: Carlos Beltran's pinch-hit home run stuns Toronto Blue Jays for Yankees
NJ.com. August 14, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
He reached 500 career doubles on August 31 against the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
. Beltrán ended the regular season with 19 home runs, 67 RBIs and a .276 average in 133 games. In the
2015 American League Wild Card Game The 2015 American League Wild Card Game was a play-in game during Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2015 postseason played between the American League's (AL) two wild card teams, the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros. It was held at Yankee St ...
against the
Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...
, Beltrán had 1 hit in 4 at-bats as the Yankees fell to the Astros 3–0.2015 Wild Card Game
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 5, 2017.


2016

On April 25,
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
, Beltrán became the 84th player to make 10,000 career
plate appearances In baseball, a player is credited with a plate appearance (denoted by PA) each time he completes a turn batting. Under Rule 5.04(c) of the Official Baseball Rules, a player completes a turn batting when he is put out or becomes a runner. This ha ...
. He collected his 2,473rd career hit on April 27 against the Texas Rangers to pass
Ted Simmons Ted Lyle Simmons (born August 9, 1949), nicknamed "Simba", is an American former professional baseball player and coach. A switch-hitter, Simmons was a catcher for most of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the St. Louis Cardinals (1 ...
for tenth place on the all-time list for switch-hitters. Beltrán hit his 400th career home run against the
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
on May 15, the 54th player in MLB history to do, fourth switch hitter, the third Puerto Rican-born player, and the fifth to do so with 300 stolen bases and 500 doubles. On May 28, Beltrán homered for his 2,500th career hit off Matt Moore of the
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...
, joining Roberto Clemente, Ivan Rodriguez and Roberto Alomar as just the fourth Puerto Rican-born player to reach the milestone, and the 99th player overall to reach 2,500 hits. He became the fourth player, after Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and Willie Mays, to reach 2,500 hits, 400 homers, 300 stolen bases and 1,000 walks. On June 7, Beltrán became the 38th player all time to record 1,000 career extra base hits. He was selected to his ninth
All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...
at
Petco Park Petco Park is a ballpark in San Diego, California. It is the home of the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). The ballpark is located in the East Village neighborhood of downtown San Diego, adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter. Petco Par ...
in
San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
. In a 5–3 loss to the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
on July 15, he became the 55th player, and fourth switch-hitter, to reach 1,500 RBIs for his career. In 99 games with the Yankees, Beltrán batted .304 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs.


Texas Rangers (2016)

On August 1, 2016, the Yankees traded Beltrán to the Texas Rangers for prospects
Dillon Tate Dillon Michael Tate (born May 1, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles. Tate played college baseball at the Uni ...
,
Erik Swanson Erik Donald Swanson (born September 4, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2019 with the Seattle Mariners. Swanson is one of only two active MLB pl ...
, and Nick Green. Beltrán hit his first home run for Texas on August 3 against the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
, also scoring his 1,500th run on the play. Towards the end of the season, Beltrán stated that he had "no plans to retire", in contrast to his statements before the season. Beltrán ended the season with a .295 average, 29 home runs and 93 RBIs in 151 games between the Yankees and Rangers. In the 2016 ALDS, Beltrán batted 2-for-11 with one RBI in three games as the
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...
swept the Rangers.2016 AL Division Series
Baseball-Reference.com Retrieved November 5, 2017.


Second stint with the Astros (2017)

On December 3, 2016, Beltrán signed a one-year, $16 million contract to return to the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...
for the 2017 season as their designated hitter. On July 17, after not having played in the field in two months, his teammates held a mock funeral for his glove. The Astros won 101 games and clinched the
AL West The American League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The division has five teams as of the 2013 season, but had four teams from 1994 to 2012, and had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams cu ...
division title, marking the second time in franchise history they won at least 100 games. They faced the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
in the best-of-five ALDS. In Game 4 on October 9, Beltrán hit a ninth-inning RBI double that proved to be the deciding run in a 5–4 victory that clinched the ALDS for the Astros. The Astros overcame one of Beltrán's former teams, the
Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. They are one ...
, in the ALCS in seven games. As the Astros advanced to the
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
, it was the second of Beltrán's career, where they opposed the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
. During the series, Beltrán registered three plate appearances over three games, going 0–3.2017 World Series
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
The Astros defeated the Dodgers in seven games, making Beltrán a World Series champion. Beltrán announced his retirement from playing on November 13, 2017. Two years later, it was revealed via a sign stealing scandal that the Astros had broken MLB rules during the 2017 season. According to the report, an electronic sign-stealing scheme was implemented during the season, allegedly spearheaded by a coach and a "veteran player". Many have speculated that the coach and player in question were
Alex Cora Jose Alexander Cora (born October 18, 1975) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball manager and former infielder who is the manager of the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for 14 seasons with the Red Sox ...
and Beltrán, with some Astros players' testimonies lining up with some of their speculations.Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich
"Details emerge about Carlos Beltrán’s role in the 2017 Astros clubhouse and the team’s sign-stealing scheme"
theathletic.com. February 11, 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
When Major League Baseball confirmed that the Astros had stolen signs illegally, Beltrán was the only player named in the commissioner's report. Beltrán apologized for his role in the scandal.


Career statistics

In 2,586 games over 20 seasons, Beltrán posted a .279
batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
(2,725-for-9,768) with 1,582 runs, 565 doubles, 78
triples TripleS (; ; stylized as tripleS) is a South Korean 24-member multinational girl group formed by Modhaus. They aim to be the world's first decentralized idol group, where the members will rotate between the full group, sub-units, and solo activi ...
, 435
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...
s, 1,587 RBI, 312
stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base unaided by other actions and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or out ...
s, 1,084
bases on balls A base on balls (BB), better known as a walk, occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches during a plate appearance that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The bas ...
, .350
on-base percentage In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batting (baseball), batter reaches base (baseball), base. An official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1984, it is sometimes referred to as on-base average (OBA ...
and .486
slugging percentage In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at-bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at-bats for a given player, an ...
. He finished his career with a .986
fielding percentage In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a baseball positions, defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putout ...
playing primarily at center and right field. In 65 postseason games, Beltrán batted .307 (66-for-215) with 45 runs, 15 doubles, 16 home runs, 42 RBI, 11 stolen bases and 37 walks. He broke the 1.000 OPS mark in four different playoff series. Beltrán also had a 100%
stolen base percentage Stolen base percentage is a statistic used in baseball. A player's stolen base percentage (a.k.a. SB%) measures his rate of success in stealing bases. Because stolen bases tend to help a team less than times caught stealing hurt, a player needs to ...
(11-for-11) during the playoffs, which are the most stolen bases without being
caught Caught is a method of dismissing a batsman in cricket. A batsman is out caught if the batsman hits the ball, from a legitimate delivery, with the bat, and the ball is caught by the bowler or a fielder before it hits the ground. If the catch ...
.


International career

Beltrán has appeared in the four editions of the
World Baseball Classic The World Baseball Classic (WBC), also referred to as the Classic, is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), the sport's global governing body, and organized in World Baseball Clas ...
(2006, 2009, 2013,
2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
) for Team Puerto Rico. In the
2017 World Baseball Classic The 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, composed of 16 competing nations, held from March 6 to 22, 2017. It was the fourth iteration of the World Baseball Classic. The first-round hosts wer ...
, he batted 4th in the lineup as their designated hitter. Following the conclusion of the tournament, which was won by United States upon beating Puerto Rico in the final, Beltrán was named to the 2017 All-World Baseball Classic team.


Post-playing career

Following the 2017 season, the New York Yankees' managerial position became available, for which Beltrán interviewed. The Yankees eventually selected
Aaron Boone Aaron John Boone (born March 9, 1973) is an American professional baseball manager and former infielder who is the manager of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for 13 seasons from 1997 to 2009. As ...
to be the manager. In December 2018, the Yankees hired Beltrán as a special adviser to general manager
Brian Cashman Brian McGuire Cashman (born July 3, 1967) is an American baseball executive for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has served as the general manager and senior vice president of the Yankees since 1998. During Cashman's tenure ...
. On November 1, 2019, the Mets hired Beltrán as their manager to replace Mickey Callaway, signing him to a three-year contract with a club option for a fourth year. However, on January 16, 2020, before Beltrán ever managed a game, he and the Mets mutually agreed to part ways after he was the only player implicated by name for his role in the
Houston Astros sign stealing scandal The Houston Astros sign stealing scandal in Major League Baseball (MLB) broke in November 2019. Several members of the Houston Astros were disciplined for illegally using a video camera system to Sign stealing, steal signs from opposing teams ...
. On January 28, 2022, the YES Network hired Beltran as a game analyst. On February 6, 2023, he left the Yankees broadcast team and joined the Mets front office.


Personal life

Beltrán and his wife Jessica have two daughters and one son.Wife of Yankees' Carlos Beltran loses unborn son
– Retrieved September 18, 2014
They reside in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. Beltrán's cousin Rey Fuentes is also a baseball player and also played for the Royals. A nephew,
Matthew Lugo Matthew Jabel Lugo (born May 9, 2001) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2025. Career Boston Red Sox After Lugo's junior year in high school ...
, was drafted by the Red Sox in 2019. Beltrán is a Christian. While sliding into second base for his 300th career steal on June 15, 2012, joining the 300–300 club, a cross necklace popped out of his jersey, and after the game, he told a reporter "all the glory" was God's. In 2004, Beltrán was one of 24 athletes who endorsed
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
's reelection campaign. Since establishing his foundation, Beltrán began a fund with part of his salary, intending to establish a high school focused on developing young athletes. Construction of the Carlos Beltrán Baseball Academy began in 2009, in the municipality of
Florida, Puerto Rico Florida () is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the karst region north of Ciales, south of Barceloneta, east of Arecibo, and west of Manatí. Florida is not like other municipalities of Puerto Rico with multiple subdivisions ...
. Beltrán donated over $4 million to the academy, built on of land donated by the local government. The school opened in 2011 and graduated its first class in June 2013. It accepts students between the ages of 14 and 18 years, with a curriculum that includes instruction by MLB players. In 2017, Beltrán was named winner of ''Sports Illustrateds inaugural Hope Award for his work in assisting Puerto Rico in the aftermath of
Hurricane Maria Hurricane Maria was an extremely powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that affected the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, which accounted for 2,975 of the 3,059 deaths. It is the ...
.


Awards and accomplishments

;Milestones achieved * 1,000 runs scored (August 12, 2008) * 1,000 RBIs (April 24, 2009) * 300 stolen bases (June 15, 2012) * 2,000 hits (June 29, 2012) * 400 doubles (June 30, 2012) * 500 doubles (August 31, 2015) * 400 home runs (May 15, 2016) * 2,500 hits (May 28, 2016) * 1,000 extra base hits (June 7, 2016) * 1,500 RBIs (July 15, 2016) * 1,500 runs (August 3, 2016) ;Other distinctions * Mets single-season record holder for runs scored (127) ahead of
Edgardo Alfonzo Edgardo Antonio Alfonzo (born November 8, 1973), nicknamed "Fonzie", is a Venezuelans, Venezuelan former professional baseball infielder and Coach (baseball), coach. He played Major League Baseball (MLB) as an infielder from to , most notably a ...
and José Reyes. * Former holder of Mets single-season record for home runs (41) with
Todd Hundley Todd Randolph Hundley (born May 27, 1969) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher and outfielder. He was a two-time All-Star who played for 14 seasons with the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs. Early life Hundley ...
(2006–2019) * Tied single postseason record for home runs (Houston Astros, 8) * 1st
switch-hitter In baseball, a switch hitter is a player who bats both right-handed and left-handed, usually right-handed against left-handed pitchers and left-handed against right-handed pitchers, although there are some exceptions. Characteristics Right-han ...
and 8th player to attain 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases. (June 15, 2012) * 3rd Highest stolen base percentage (minimum of 250 attempts): 87%


See also

*
30–30 club In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 30–30 club is the group of 47 Batter (baseball), batters who have collected 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a single season. ''Baseball Digest'' called the 30–30 club "the most celebrated feat that can ...
* List of Gold Glove Award winners at outfield * List of Major League Baseball career at-bat leaders *
List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders In baseball, a double is a hit in which the batter advances to second base in one play, without the benefit of a fielding error, advancing to second on a throw to another base, or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice. A batter may ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career extra base hits leaders In baseball, an extra base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any hit (baseball), base hit on which the batting (baseball), batter can advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error (baseball), ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders Listed are all Major League Baseball players who have reached the 2,000 hit (baseball), hit milestone during their career in MLB. Pete Rose holds the Major League record for most career hits, with 4,256. Rose and Ty Cobb, second most, are the only ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders This is a list of the 300 Major League Baseball players who have hit the most career home runs in regular season play (i.e., excluding playoffs or exhibition games). In the sport of baseball, a home run is a hit in which the batter scores by ci ...
* List of Major League Baseball career plate appearance leaders * List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a center fielder leaders *
List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders This is a list of Major League Baseball players who have compiled 1,000 runs batted in (RBIs). RBIs are usually accumulated when a batter in baseball enables a runner on base (including himself, in the case of a home run) to score as a result of m ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders Listed are all Major League Baseball (MLB) players with 1,000 or more career runs scored. Players in boldface are active as of the 2025 Major League Baseball season. Key List *Stats updated as of June 16, 2025. Through June 16, 2025, th ...
* List of Major League Baseball career strikeouts by batters leaders * List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders *
List of Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico Puerto Rico currently has the fourth-most active baseball positions, players in Major League Baseball (MLB) among Latin American jurisdictions, behind the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Cuba. More than four hundred players from the archipelago ...
* List of Silver Slugger Award winners at outfield


References


External links

* *
Carlos Beltrán
at
SABR Sabr () (literally 'endurance' or more accurately 'perseverance' and 'persistence'"Ṣabr", ''Encyclopaedia of Islam'') is one of the two parts of Iman (concept), faith (the other being ''shukr'') in Islam. It teaches to remain Spirituality, sp ...
Bio Project {{DEFAULTSORT:Beltran, Carlos 1977 births Living people American League All-Stars Brooklyn Cyclones players Gold Glove Award winners Gulf Coast Royals players Houston Astros players Kansas City Royals players Lansing Lugnuts players Major League Baseball outfielders Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award winners National League All-Stars New York Mets players New York Yankees players New York Yankees announcers Omaha Golden Spikes players People from Manatí, Puerto Rico Sportspeople from Port Washington, New York Baseball players from Nassau County, New York Puerto Rican Christians San Francisco Giants players Silver Slugger Award winners Spokane Indians players St. Louis Cardinals players St. Lucie Mets players Tampa Yankees players Texas Rangers players Wichita Wranglers players Wilmington Blue Rocks players New York Mets executives 2006 World Baseball Classic players 2009 World Baseball Classic players 2013 World Baseball Classic players 2017 World Baseball Classic players 30–30 club