The Mets will officially retire Carlos Beltrán’s number 15 in a pregame ceremony at Citi Field prior to the team’s game against the Phillies on Saturday, September 19. The Mets will also induct Beltrán into the team Hall of Fame.
It was previously reported that the team was planning a special ceremony for Beltrán, who was originally supposed to go into the Team Hall of Fame alongside Bobby Valentine and Lee Mazzilli. However, once Beltrán was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, the team changed course on their original plans, and will now give one of the best position players in franchise history a day of his own.
Beltrán has been a divisive figure in franchise history, oftentimes unfairly, especially because of one specific play. However, his numbers speak for themselves, as he ranks third all-time among Mets position players in in WAR (31.2), fourth in OPS (.869), sixth in OBP (.369), sixth in SLG (.500), seventh in home runs (149), seventh in doubles (208), seventh in RBI (559), tenth in walks (449), and tenth in runs scored (551). He earned five All-Star game nods while in Flushing and won two Silver Sluggers. He was also an elite defender, taking home the Gold Glove in three consecutive seasons from 2006-2008. He finished fourth in NL MVP voting during the team’s 2006 campaign. There will be a lot to unpack about his legacy in the months leading up to the retirement, but it’s impossible to ignore his talent and his impact on the field.
Beltrán became the third Met to get inducted into Cooperstown wearing a Mets cap, joining Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza which made this all but a certainty. He will become the 11th number retired by the franchise, and the ninth player to receive the honor, joining David Wright (5), Dwight Gooden (16), Keith Hernandez (17), Darryl Strawberry (18), Willie Mays (24), Mike Piazza (31), Jerry Koosman (36), and Tom Seaver (41). Gil Hodges (14) and Casey Stengel (37) both had their numbers retired as team Managers.
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