Adrian Beltre, Retired


Date of Birth: 4/7/1979
Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Adrian Beltre began his major league career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998. At 19, he was the youngest player in the National League. Beltre started off slowly with the Dodgers, batting only .215 in his first season, but by 2000, he was beginning to show his power at the plate, batting .290 and hitting 20 home runs that year. His best year with the Dodgers came, however, in 2004, his last season with the Los Angeles team. He ended the 2004 season with a career high batting average of .334 and 48 home runs. Beltre won his first of three Silver Slugger awards that season.

After the 2004 season, Beltre became a free agent and he signed a $64 million, 5 year contract with the Seattle Mariners. However, he never reached the heights of his 2004 year with the Mariners, batting only .255 in 2005 with 19 home runs, .268 with 25 home runs in 2006, .276 with 26 home runs in 2007, and similar numbers in 2008. However, his fielding percentages were much better and he won his first two Gold Glove awards in 2007 and 2008.

Beltre stayed with the Mariners through 2009 but when he became a free agent again at the end of the 2009 season, he signed a one-year, nine million dollar contract with the Boston Red Sox in January, 2010. A year later, he signed a more lucrative five-year, $80 million contract with the Texas Rangers.

After leaving the Mariners, Beltre once again showed his power and he won Silver Slugger awards in both 2010 and 2011. His fielding also improved and he won Gold Gloves in 2011 and 2012. He had impressive numbers in 2014, finishing with 178 hits, 33 doubles, 19 home runs, 77 RBIs, and a .324 batting average in 148 games. He won his fourth Silver Slugger award in 2014.

On August 3, 2015, Beltre hit for the cycle for the third time in his career. He is one of only three major league players to ever hit for the cycle three times in a career and the first player to do so in 82 years. He finished the 2015 season with 163 hits, 32 doubles, 18 home runs, 83 RBIs, and a .287 batting average. As the Rangers' third baseman, he made 267 assists, 28 double plays, 105 putouts, and 17 errors in 142 games. In 9 at-bats in 3 postseason games, he batted .444 with 4 hits and 1 RBI.

Beltre had another strong season in 2016, finishing with a .300 batting average. In 153 games, he had 175 hits, 31 doubles, 32 home runs, and 104 RBIs. As the Rangers third baseman, he made 301 assists, 104 putouts, and 10 errors in 141 games. In the postseason, he batted just .182 with 2 hits in 11 at-bats in 3 games.

Belte won his fifth Gold Glove in 2016.

Due to a leg injury suffered in Spring training in 2017, Beltre played in his fewest games since his first season in 1998. In 94 games in 2017, he batted .312 with 106 hits, 22 doubles, 17 home runs, and 52 strikeouts to 39 walks. Defensively, as the Rangers' third baseman in 65 games, he made 135 assists, 13 double plays, 50 putouts, and 5 errors. He had a .974 fielding percentage.

Beltre played in 119 games with the Rangers in 2018. He finished the season with 118 hits, 23 doubles, 15 home runs, 65 RBIs, 96 strikeouts to 34 walks, and a .273 batting average. Defensively, as the Rangers' third baseman in 70 games, he made 145 assists, 53 putouts, and 10 errors.

Beltre retired after the 2018 season.

Batting statistics for Beltre in 21 seasons (1998-2018) include:

  • 11 seasons with over 150 hits, with highs of 200 in 2004 and 199 in 2013
  • 7 seasons with a batting average of .300 or better, with a high of .334 in 2004
  • 13 seasons with 30 or more doubles, with a high of 49 in 2010
  • 12 seasons with 20 or more home runs, with a high of 48 in 2004
  • 5 seasons with over 100 RBIs, with a high of 121 in 2004

Career batting statistics for Beltre through 2018 include:

  • 2,933 games played
  • 3,166 hits
  • 636 doubles
  • 477 home runs
  • 121 stolen bases
  • 1,707 RBIs
  • 1,732 strikeouts to 848 walks
  • .286 batting average

Career fielding statistics for Beltre at third base through 2018 include:

  • 2,759 games played
  • 5,182 assists
  • 523 double plays
  • 2,194 putouts
  • 311 errors
  • .960 fielding percentage

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Adrian Beltre
ESPN Sports - Adrian Beltre