Carlos Beltran‘s tenure with the New York Mets is one of the most fascinating ones for any player in franchise history. On the field, few players have ever been more productive in a Mets uniform than Beltran. Yet his legacy with the franchise is overshadowed by a few unfortunate moments.
No one will ever forget Beltran striking out looking in the 2006 NLCS. Most recently, Beltran’s brief stint as the Mets manager only clouded his legacy with the franchise even further, as a sign-stealing scandal prohibited him from ever winning a game.
With all that being said, let’s not forget that signing Beltran was maybe the greatest free agent acquisition that the Mets have ever made.
Prior to the 2005 season, the Mets signed a then-28-year-old center fielder to the largest contract in franchise history. Beltran inked a seven-year deal, worth $119 million. The 1999 Rookie of the Year was coming off a playoff run in 2004 with the Houston Astros that saw him hit .435 with 14 RBIs and 21 runs scored.
Despite years of excellence at the start of his career with the Kansas City Royals, Beltran was only a one-time All-Star when he came to the Mets. Beltran went on to play in the All-Star game in each of his first three seasons in Queens. Beltran won the only two Silver Sluggers of his career in 2006 and 2007, as he led his team to an 185-139 record across that two-year span.
Beltran’s hardware did not only come from his work offensively, as he was also an outstanding defensive center fielder. From 2006 through 2008, Beltran was worth 40 defensive runs saved and won three-straight Gold Gloves.
Injuries derailed Beltran’s career in 2009 and 2010, as he was limited to only playing a combined 145 games across that span. Still, across his seven-year tenure with the Mets, Beltran hit .280/.369/.500 with 149 home runs, 559 RBIs, 551 runs scored and 100 stolen bases.
After years of injury-riddled seasons, Beltran returned to full health in the last year of his contract in 2011. That year, Beltran played 98 games with the Mets and made his fifth All-Star appearance in seven years. Then at the trade deadline, Sandy Alderson was able to flip Beltran to the San Francisco Giants for a 21-year-old top pitching prospect named Zack Wheeler.
When Carlos Beltran is eligible to be elected into the Hall of Fame, there is a good chance he will go in wearing a Mets cap. Between the great production he gave the franchise on the field and the elite starting pitcher he brought back to the organization, there is no doubt that Beltran is one of the best free agent signings this team has ever made.
