Carlos Beltran will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer, and the New York Mets will retire his number, too
The New York Mets have announced the date for the retirement of Carlos Beltran’s number, with the ceremony to retire No. 15 scheduled for Sept. 19. The ceremony will take place at 4:10 PM, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, before the Mets game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Beltran will have an illustrious summer full of celebrations and ceremonies, as he’ll be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown on June 26.
“Carlos Beltrán was one of the greatest offensive players in team history, combining power and speed with elite defense,” Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. “We are thrilled that he will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame later this summer, and excited to honor him and his family as he joins Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza among players wearing a Mets hat in Cooperstown and whose numbers hang from the rafters.”
Beltran wore No. 15 throughout his Mets tenure from 2005-2011, and for most of his 20-year MLB career.A dozen Mets have worn his number since Beltran’s departure, and current outfielder Tyrone Taylor is now wearing No. 15 and will have to change his number later this season.
Beltran will be the ninth player to have his number retired, with the others being Tom Seaver, Mike Piazza, Jerry Koosman, Keith Hernandez, Willie Mays, Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry and David Wright. Two managers, Casey Stengel and Gil Hodges, have also had their numbers retired.
Six of those number retirements have occurred in the last decade, according to DiComo, as the Mets have been working to clear a backlog of deserving candidates.
Beltran spent six seasons in New York, which was far less than any of the other players who have had their numbers retired, but he made a profound impact on the franchise. He hit 149 of his 435 home runs in New York while compiling a bWAR of 31.1 with the franchise. Beltran currently serves as a special assistant to baseball operations, and he chose a Mets cap for his induction into Cooperstown.
The Mets hold a special place in my heart,” Beltrán said in a statement. “This summer will be incredibly meaningful, from my induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame to this Mets Hall of Fame honor, with the cherry on top being my number retirement. I’m deeply grateful.”
Playing the Phillies in the middle of a pennant race would be an even bigger cherry for Mets fans, and the Mets made a good choice of opponents for this ceremony date.