Carlos Beltran has reached the point of his career where the retirement question is inevitable. He’s going to turn 39 in April, and while he’s still quite productive, his game has clearly slipped in recent years. Beltran will be a free agent after the season, and given how teams are avoiding players approaching 40, the potential for a forced retirement exists. Teams simply may not want to sign him even if he has a strong 2016 season.
Last week, Beltran told Wally Matthews his goal is to play 20 years in the big leagues, which means 2016 plus two more seasons after that. Beltran appeared in 14 games with the 1998 Royals before jumping into their lineup full-time in 1999. He hit .293/.337/.454 (95 wRC+) with 22 homers, 27 steals, 4.7 bWAR, and 4.3 fWAR that season to earn AL Rookie of the Year honors.
“My goal is to play 20 years. I would love to play 20 years in the big leagues. So that means two more years if possible,” said Beltran to Matthews. “I have a responsibility for this year. For me, all my thoughts are trying to put myself into condition to try to help this team win. At the end of the year, based on how things happen, then, you know, I will make a decision. But right now, physically I feel fine. If I can stay healthy and still contribute at this level, why should I go home?”
Beltran has wanted to be a Yankee his entire career. He was famously willing to take a discount to sign with the Yankees prior to the 2005 season, but that didn’t happen. Beltran also said he was open to taking a discount to come to the Bronx a few years back, before he signed with the Cardinals. Again, it didn’t happen. Two years ago Beltran finally got his wish and signed with the Yankees. I’m sure he’d love to stay with them beyond 2016 if possible.
Given their current M.O., the Yankees don’t figure to have a place for Beltran on the 2017 roster. They are skewing young whenever possible and Alex Rodriguez still has another year on his contract, so the DH spot won’t be available. The team also has Aaron Hicks plus a small army of young outfielders in Triple-A (Aaron Judge, Slade Heathcott, Ben Gamel, Mason Williams) who are all options to step into right field full-time next year.
It seems Beltran’s best bet to extend his career beyond 2016 is joining an AL team that can DH him full-time. David Ortiz is retiring, so maybe it’s the Red Sox. Edwin Encarnacion is a free agent, so maybe it’s the Blue Jays. Or the White Sox with Adam LaRoche coming off the books. DH jobs should be open. The question is can Beltran still produce? And would teams be willing to give him full-time at-bats? The Yankees seem unlikely to do that.
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