Adrian Beltre (Hall of Fame, 2024)
Date of Birth: 4/7/1979
Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Adrian Beltre started playing baseball in the Dominican Republic. He was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers at the young age of 15. He played in the minor leagues in 1996 and 1997.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Beltre began his major league career with the Dodgers in 1998. At 19, he was the youngest player in the National League. He 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.
In 2001, Beltre batted .265 in 126 games with the Dodgers. He had 126 hits, 22 doubles, 60 RBIs, and 82 strikeouts to 28 walks. The following season he played in 159 games. He finished the 2002 season with 151 hits, 26 doubles, 21 home runs, 75 RBIs, 96 strikeouts to 37 walks, and a .257 batting average.
Beltre's batting average dropped to .240 in 2003. He had 134 hits, 30 doubles, 23 home runs, and 80 RBIs in 158 games. He struck out 103 times and walked 37 times.
Beltre's best year with the Dodgers came in 2004, his last season with the Los Angeles team. He won his first of three Silver Slugger awards and he led the NL in home runs with 48. He had career highs that year in hits (200), home runs, RBIs (121), and batting average (.334). He played in 156 games in 2004.
Seattle Mariners
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.
In 2009, his last season with the Mariners, Beltre batted .265 in just 111 games. He finished the season with 119 hits, 27 doubles, 44 RBIs, and 74 strikeouts to 19 walks.
Boston Red Sox
When Beltre 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. In his one season with the Red Sox, he batted .321. He led the AL in doubles with a career high 49 and he won a Silver Slugger award that year. He finished the 2010 season with 189 hits, 28 home runs, 102 RBIs, and 82 strikeouts to 40 walks in 154 games.
Texas Rangers
After the 2010 season, Beltre signed a lucrative five-year, $80 million contract with the Texas Rangers. He won another Silver Slugger award and a Gold Glove in his first year with the Rangers. He finished the 2011 season with 144 hits, 33 doubles, 32 home runs, 105 RBIs, 53 strikeouts to 25 walks, and a .296 batting average in 124 games.
Beltre's batting average went up to .321 in 2012. He finished the season with 194 hits, 33 doubles, 36 home runs, 102 RBIs, and 82 strikeouts to 36 walks in 156 games. He won another Gold Glove that year.
In 2013, Beltre led the AL in hits with 199. He also had 32 doubles, 30 home runs, and 92 RBIs in 161 games. He batted .315 that year.
Beltre 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. He also played well defensively, winning his fifth Gold Glove. 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.
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.
Awards and MLB Records
- Gold Glove (5)
- Silver Slugger Award (4)
- Lou Gehrig Memorial Award
- Led AL in hits in 2013
- Led AL in doubles in 2010
- Led NL in home runs in 2004
- Led third baseman in putouts (5 times)
- Led AL third baseman in assists in 2008
- Led NL third baseman in double plays in 2003
Career Statistics
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 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 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