Though his time in Boston was quick, Adrián Beltré loved a profitable one-year stint with the Red Sox within the midst of his 21-year profession within the majors. Along the way in which Beltré established himself as one of many best third baseman in MLB historical past, compiling 3,166 hits, 477 residence runs and 93.5 wins above substitute.
Now Beltré has an opportunity to finish his baseball journey with a visit to Cooperstown.
Beltré is the headliner of this yr’s 2024 Baseball Hall of Fame poll, which was unveiled on Monday afternoon and options 26 candidates, together with 12 first-timers and 7 who frolicked with the Red Sox.
The different first-time candidates with ties to the Red Sox embody first baseman Adrián González, catcher Victor Martinez, beginning pitcher Bartolo Colon and second baseman Brandon Phillips, none of whom spent vital time with the Red Sox and who would presumably put on one other staff’s cap in the event that they ever earned induction. Outfielder Manny Ramirez and nearer Billy Wagner are the 2 returning candidates who performed in Boston.
Beltré was among the many greatest one-and-done gamers in staff historical past. Coming off an damage plagued 2009, Beltré signed a one-year, $10 million contract with Boston and proceeded to submit an MVP-caliber 7.8 WAR mark, the second-highest of his profession. He led MLB in doubles (49) and hit .321 with 28 residence runs, 102 RBI and a .919 OPS. He was named an All-Star for the primary time in his profession, received his second Silver Slugger and completed ninth within the AL MVP vote.
Upon hitting free company once more Beltré signed a six-year, $96 million take care of the Texas Rangers, who he led to a World Series look in 2011 and with whom he in the end turned a membership legend. Meanwhile, the Red Sox endured a revolving door at third base for years till Rafael Devers ultimately broke onto the scene in 2017.
González was a highly-touted free agent signing in 2011 whose arrival heralded what the membership hoped can be a record-breaking season. González carried out properly with the Red Sox, batting .321 with 42 residence runs and 203 RBI in 282 video games, however he turned related to the 2011 membership’s disastrous collapse and was traded in 2012 to assist unload Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett’s contracts.
Martinez additionally spent only a season-and-a-half in Boston between 2009-10 however earned All-Star honors in his solely full season with the membership in 2010. Colon pitched one among his 21 seasons in Boston and posted a 3.92 ERA over seven begins in 2008, and Phillips performed simply 9 video games for Boston in his last season in 2018.
In addition to Beltré and the opposite former Red Sox, the remaining first-time candidates embody three-time batting champion and former Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer, Toronto third baseman Jose Bautista, former New York Mets infielders Jose Reyes and David Wright, Philadelphia second baseman Chase Utley, Colorado and St. Louis outfielder Matt Holliday and ex-Tampa Bay starter James Shields.
The prime returning vote-getters from final yr embody Colorado’s Todd Helton, who fell simply wanting the 75% wanted for induction with 72.2%, alongside Wagner (68.1%), with Andruw Jones (58.1%) and Gary Sheffield (55%) in his last yr on the poll.
Alex Rodríguez (35.7%) and Ramirez (33.2%) each stay on the poll for his or her third and eighth years respectively however are long-shots for induction on account of their confirmed ties to performance-enhancing medicine. Carlos Beltran (47.4%) additionally noticed his vote whole endure in his first yr on account of his affiliation with the 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.
Source: www.bostonherald.com