Adrián Beltré facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adrián Beltré
Beltré with the Texas Rangers in 2017
Third baseman
Born: (1979-04-07) April 7, 1979 (age 46) Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
June 24, 1998, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Last appearance
September 30, 2018, for the Texas Rangers
MLB statistics
Batting average	.286
Hits	3,166
Home runs	477
Runs batted in	1,707
Teams
Los Angeles Dodgers (1998–2004) Seattle Mariners (2005–2009) Boston Red Sox (2010) Texas Rangers (2011–2018)
Career highlights and awards
4× All-Star (2010–2012, 2014) 5× Gold Glove Award (2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2016) 4× Silver Slugger Award (2004, 2010, 2011, 2014) NL home run leader (2004) Texas Rangers No. 29 retired Texas Rangers Hall of Fame
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2024
Vote	95.1% (first ballot)

Adrián Beltré Pérez (born April 7, 1979) is a former professional baseball player from the Dominican Republic. He played as a third baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). Beltré played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, and Texas Rangers. Many people consider him one of the best third basemen ever.

Beltré started his MLB career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998. He was just 19 years old. He batted and threw with his right hand. In 2004, he hit 48 home runs, leading all of MLB. He was the most valuable player for the Red Sox in 2010. In 2011, he played in the World Series with the Rangers.

He became the all-time MLB hits leader for a Dominican player in 2014. In 2017, he reached 3,000 hits, a huge milestone. He was the first Dominican player to do this. Beltré retired after the 2018 season. He had 3,166 hits, 477 home runs, and 1,707 runs batted in. He also hit for the cycle three times! This means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game. Only six players in MLB history have done this.

Beltré played for 21 seasons, showing how long he stayed great. He won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award five times for his amazing defense. He was also known for hitting with power. He played in four MLB All-Star Games. He also won the Silver Slugger Award four times for his hitting. When he retired, he was the only third baseman with both 3,000 hits and 400 home runs. In 2024, Beltré was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of being eligible.

Early Life and Baseball Beginnings

Beltré was born on April 7, 1979, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He went to Liceo Máximo Gómez High School. In 1994, scouts from the Los Angeles Dodgers saw him playing. He was only 15 years old.

Even though he was young and not very big, he had a fast swing and a strong throwing arm. The Dodgers signed him in July 1994. He received a $23,000 signing bonus.

Professional Baseball Career Highlights

Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1998–2004)

Beltré was a very promising young player when he started his MLB career. He joined the Dodgers from their minor league team. His first MLB game was on June 24, 1998. He played third base against the Anaheim Angels.

He was the youngest player in the National League at that time. In his very first turn at bat, Beltré hit a double to score a run. Six days later, he hit his first home run. In 2004, Beltré had an amazing season. He hit 48 home runs, which was the most in MLB that year.

He also had a great batting average of .334. He made 200 hits and had 121 RBI. He finished second in the voting for the National League's Most Valuable Player Award. He also won his first Silver Slugger Award.

Time with the Seattle Mariners (2005–2009)

At bat while playing for the Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners signed Beltré in 2005. He signed a five-year contract. His first year with the Mariners was not as strong as his 2004 season. He batted .255 with 19 home runs.

In 2006, his hitting started to get better. He hit his first inside-the-park home run at Safeco Field. This was the first time that had ever happened there. He finished the season batting .276 with 26 home runs. He also won a Fielding Bible Award for his great defense.

Beltré fielding

In 2007, Beltré won his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award. This award goes to the best defensive player at each position. He was the first Mariners third baseman to win it. On September 1, 2008, Beltré hit for the cycle again. This was at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. He won his second Fielding Bible Award that year.

Beltré was known for his fun personality. Once, his teammate Ken Griffey Jr. played "The Nutcracker Suite" music when Beltré came up to bat. Beltré became a free agent in November 2009.

Playing for the Boston Red Sox (2010)

Beltré batting for the Boston Red Sox in 2010.

On January 7, 2010, Beltré joined the Boston Red Sox. He signed a one-year contract. Playing in Fenway Park, which is good for hitters, helped him a lot. He had a fantastic season.

He batted .321 with 28 home runs and 49 doubles. He led the Red Sox in batting average. He also tied for the team lead in RBIs with 102. He led all of MLB with 49 doubles that year. He finished ninth in the voting for the AL MVP award.

Years with the Texas Rangers (2011–2018)

On January 5, 2011, Beltré signed a five-year contract with the Texas Rangers. He played with the Rangers for eight years until he retired in 2018. Many people say his time with the Rangers was "nothing short of brilliant."

2011 Season Highlights

Adrián Beltré with the Texas Rangers in 2011

Beltré was chosen for the 2011 American League All-Star team. On September 4, he got his 2,000th career hit. On September 11, he hit two home runs, including his 300th career home run. He was named the AL Player of the Month for September.

In 2011, Beltré batted .296 with 32 home runs. He was third in the American League in slugging percentage. On October 4, 2011, in a playoff game, Beltré hit three home runs. This was a rare achievement in baseball history.

Beltré played in the 2011 World Series with the Rangers. He hit another home run in Game 5. However, the St. Louis Cardinals won the series. Beltré also won his third Gold Glove Award and his third Fielding Bible Award. He also won the Silver Slugger Award.

2012 Season Highlights

Beltré was again chosen for the All-Star Game in 2012. He was named a starter. On August 22, 2012, he hit three home runs in one game. Two days later, he hit for the cycle for the second time in his career.

Both of his cycles happened at the Rangers' home stadium. This made him the first player in MLB history to hit for the cycle more than once in the same stadium. He won his second Platinum Glove Award for his defense. He also won his fourth Fielding Bible Award.

2013 Season Highlights

The Rangers made Beltré their team captain in 2013. He was named the American League Player of the Week in July. He batted .478 with four home runs. He kept hitting well and was named the American League Player of the Month for July.

He batted .369 with nine home runs and 19 RBIs. He ended the month with a walk-off home run. This means he hit a home run that won the game in the last turn at bat. For the 2013 season, Beltré played in 161 games. He had a .315 batting average and 30 home runs. He led the American League with 199 hits.

2014 Season Highlights

Beltré in August 2014

On May 7, 2014, Beltré hit his 100th home run as a Ranger. This made him one of only five players in MLB history to hit 100 home runs with three different teams. On June 24, 2014, he got his 2,500th career hit.

On September 18, Beltré got his 2,591st hit. This made him the all-time hit leader among players born in the Dominican Republic. He finished the 2014 season batting .324.

2015 Season Highlights

On May 15, 2015, Beltré hit his 400th career home run. He became the 52nd player in MLB history to reach this milestone. He also became the fourth player to do so while playing most of his games at third base.

On August 3, 2015, Beltré hit for the cycle for the third time in his career. This was his second cycle as a Ranger. All three of his cycles happened at Globe Life Park in Arlington. This made him the only player ever to hit three cycles in one stadium. He tied the MLB record for most career cycles.

Beltré won the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in September 2015. This award is given to players who show great character and give back to their communities. He helped with many good causes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the Dominican Republic. He finished the season with 18 home runs and 83 RBIs.

2016 Season Highlights

On April 15, 2016, Beltré signed a two-year contract extension with the Rangers. On May 29, he hit a two-run home run. This gave him 1,501 career RBIs, making him the 54th player to reach that mark. On July 2, 2016, Beltré reached 10,000 career turns at bat.

Two days later, he hit his ninth career walk-off home run. On August 24, 2016, Beltré got his 2,900th career hit. This made him the 39th player in Major League history to reach this milestone. On September 13, he hit his 30th home run of the season. This was the fifth time in his career he reached 30 home runs.

Ten days later, his home run helped the Rangers win their division. He also reached 100 RBIs for the first time since 2012. He won his fifth American League Gold Glove Award at third base.

2017 Season Highlights

Beltré started the 2017 season on the disabled list due to a leg injury. On July 4, he hit his 600th career double. This made him the 17th player all-time to reach that milestone. On July 7, Beltré reached 5,000 career total bases.

On July 26, Beltré had a funny moment with an umpire. The umpire asked him to move closer to the on-deck circle. Beltré picked up the on-deck circle's logo and moved it closer to himself. This made the umpire eject him from the game!

On July 30, 2017, Beltré got his 3,000th hit. He hit a double against the Baltimore Orioles. He became the 31st player in MLB history to reach this huge milestone. He was also the first player from the Dominican Republic to do it. Beltré played in only 94 games in 2017 due to injuries.

2018 Season and Retirement

Before the 2018 season, the Rangers signed Bartolo Colón. This meant the Rangers had the only two active players with at least 20 seasons in MLB. On April 5, 2018, Beltré hit a double. This made him the all-time Latin-American hits leader, passing Rod Carew.

On June 13, 2018, Beltré hit another double. This gave him 3,090 career hits. This made him the all-time leader in hits for a player not born in the United States. On November 20, 2018, Beltré announced he was retiring from baseball.

Career Statistics Overview

Adrián Beltré's number 29 was retired by the Texas Rangers in 2019.

In 2,933 games over 21 seasons, Beltré had a .286 batting average. He finished with 3,166 hits, 477 home runs, and 1,707 RBI. He also had 636 doubles and scored 1,524 runs. His fielding percentage was .960, showing his strong defense. In 28 playoff games, he hit five home runs and had 11 RBI.

Playing Style and Reputation

Beltré is known as one of the greatest third basemen of all time. He played for 21 seasons and won five Gold Gloves. He was famous for his long career and his amazing fielding skills. He was also a powerful hitter.

Beltré had a special home run swing. He would drop to one knee when he hit a breaking ball. This was especially noticeable in the 2011 World Series. His defensive style was also unique. His manager, Ron Washington, said Beltré didn't field ground balls in the usual way. But his arm was so strong that he made it work.

Another manager, Joe Maddon, compared Beltré's unique style to other famous players. He said Beltré did things his own way that you wouldn't teach. But because of his skill, it worked for him. Rangers coach Steve Buechele said Beltré was a "super smart player."

Beltré was also known for his joyful and playful attitude on the field. He had a funny routine with his teammate Elvis Andrus on pop flies. They would both put their arms up to catch the ball. He also liked to pretend to take foul balls from fans in the stands.

Beltré was famous for not liking anyone to touch the top of his head. But before he got his 3,000th hit, he let his teammates touch his head. This turned into a fun game, especially with Elvis Andrus. Beltré also didn't like Gatorade showers. Once, after hitting a grand slam, he tried to sweep the dirt to avoid one!

Awards and Accomplishments

Awards

• All-World Baseball Classic Team (2006)
• 4× Fielding Bible Award at third base (2006, 2008, 2011, 2012)
• Lou Gehrig Memorial Award (2014)
• 4× MLB All-Star (2010–12, 2014)
• 4× MLB Player of the Month (September 2004, September 2011, September 2012, July 2013)
• 6× MLB Player of the Week (August 27, 2000; June 27, 2004; August 26, 2012; July 7, 2013; October 4, 2015; July 30, 2017)
• 2× Rawlings American League Platinum Glove Award (2011, 2012)
• 5× Rawlings Gold Glove Award at third base (2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2016)
• 4× Silver Slugger Award at third base (2004, 2010, 2011, 2014)
• 4× Texas Rangers Player of the Year (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016)
• Thomas A. Yawkey Award (Boston Red Sox team MVP) (2010)
• Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award for the Texas Rangers (2012)

Selected MLB accomplishments

• First player from the Dominican Republic to reach 3,000 hits.
• Played 2,933 major league games, the 14th-highest total in MLB history when he retired.
• The only third baseman in history with both 3,000 career hits and 400 home runs.
• Retired as the all-time leader among third basemen in career hits and RBIs.
• Ranked third in home runs among third basemen.
• One of five players to hit 100 home runs with three different teams.
• Holds the MLB record for hitting for the cycle in the same stadium (3 at Globe Life Park in Arlington).
• Tied MLB record as the fourth player to hit for the cycle three times.
• One of six players to have a three-home-run game in both the playoffs and regular season.
• One of two players to have a three-home-run game and a cycle in the same week.
• His number 29 was retired by the Texas Rangers in 2019.

Post-Playing Career

On June 5, 2023, Beltré was named the honorary general manager for the Karachi Monarchs. This is a team in the new Baseball United league.

Giving Back to the Community

Beltré has done a lot of good work in the community. He has supported the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation. He also helped with the Texas Rangers RBI program. He supported the "I Love Baseball" program in the Dominican Republic. He also helped the Baseball Tomorrow Fund. He has also given to other players' foundations.

Personal Life

Beltré is married to Sandra, and they have three children. He is good friends with his former Mariners teammate Félix Hernández. They often had friendly chats on the field when they played against each other.

See Also

In Spanish: Adrián Beltré para niños