Carlos Beltrán's No. 15 Is Getting Retired, and the Mets Are Making It a September Ceremony

The Mets are hanging up Carlos Beltrán's No. 15 on September 19, and it is going to be a massive moment at home plate. Before their game against the Phillies that night, Beltrán will be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in a ceremony that caps off one hell of a summer for the guy.

This makes Beltrán the ninth player in franchise history to get the number retirement treatment. The company he is joining? Tom Seaver (41), Mike Piazza (31), Jerry Koosman (36), Keith Hernandez (17), Willie Mays (24), Dwight Gooden (16), Darryl Strawberry (18), and David Wright (5). That is serious Mets royalty right there. The organization has also retired numbers for former managers Gil Hodges (14) and Casey Stengel (37), plus every team has retired No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson.

The Hall of Fame Summer Ahead

Beltrán already got the ultimate honor earlier this year when he was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame, and he made clear that when his plaque gets unveiled, it is going to feature a Mets cap. That induction ceremony happens on July 26. So we are talking about the guy getting inducted into the Hall of Fame and then having his number retired by the Mets all in the same summer. That is an incredible run.

Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen released a statement calling Beltrán "one of the greatest offensive players in team history, combining power and speed with elite defense." Beltrán himself told the team that this honor is "the highest possible tribute, and I truly feel blessed. The Mets hold a special place in my heart. 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."

The Road That Got Us Here

Beltrán's path back to this moment was complicated. The Mets hired him as manager on November 1, 2019, then fired him on January 16, 2020, before he ever managed a single game. That decision came three days after MLB released a report that named him as the only Astros player by name in connection with Houston's sign stealing scheme during their 2017 World Series run, which was his final season with the team. In February 2023, the Mets brought him on as a special assistant to the general manager. He is still working in that role under president of baseball operations David Stearns.

Mets fans will get to celebrate one of the franchise's all time greats on September 19. Mark it down.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.