New York Mets’ Carlos Beltran runs out a base hit in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 5 of their NLCS playoff baseball series in St. Louis October 17, 2006. REUTERS/Tim Parker (UNITED STATES)
The 2026 season is turning into an unforgettable one for Carlos Beltran.
After being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in January, Beltran’s No. 15 will be retired by the New York Mets at some point during the regular season, as first reported by Mike Puma of the New York Post on Thursday.
The star center fielder, who spent parts of seven seasons in Queens from 2005-2011, was initially only supposed to be elected into the Mets Hall of Fame alongside Bobby Valentine and Lee Mazzilli on May 30. Now, he will get his own day, becoming the ninth former player to have his number retired by the franchise and joining the likes of Tom Seaver, Mike Piazza, Jerry Koosman, Keith Hernandez, Willie Mays, Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, and David Wright.
Former managers Casey Stengel and Gil Hodges also have their numbers retired.
It is the highest reward a team can bestow upon a former player, and Beltran certainly warrants it after choosing to don a Mets cap on his Hall of Fame plaque, which will officially be unveiled when he is enshrined in Cooperstown this July. He joins Seaver and Piazza as the only other players in the Hall who are wearing a Mets cap.
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A nine-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, Beltran amassed 435 home runs, 312 stolen bases, and 2,725 hits in 2,586 games over his 20-year career. It makes him one of just four players in MLB history with at least 1,500 runs scored, 2,700 hits, 400 home runs, and 300 steals, joining Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, and Alex Rodriguez.
He spent 839 games with the Mets, slashing .280/.369/.500 (.869 OPS) with 149 home runs and 559 RBI.
He finished fourth in the National League MVP voting in 2006, when he became just the third Met in franchise history to eclipse the 40-home-run mark (41) to go with 116 RBI.
Beltran ranks third in franchise history with a 31.1 WAR, sixth in on-base percentage and slugging percentage, fourth in OPS, and seventh in home runs and RBI.
