Beltre belts 3,000th hit, first Dominican to do so
‘Future Hall of Famer’ reaches milestone on ‘Rangers Day’
ARLINGTON, TEXAS — Adrian Beltre doubled for his 3,000th career hit Sunday to become the 31st player — and first from the Dominican Republic — to reach that milestone in Major League Baseball.
The 38-year-old Texas Rangers star is in his 20th big-league season. He is only the third player who is primarily a third baseman in the 3,000-hit club, joining Hall of Famers George Brett and Wade Boggs.
Beltre grounded a 3-0 pitch ball hard down the line — appropriately past third base — and the ball ricocheted off the side wall and into left field. The double came off Baltimore Orioles lefty Wade Miley, who got Beltre out on a swinging strikeout in the second.
He reached the milestone in a 10-6 AL loss to the Orioles. The veteran star finished 1 for 5.
A banner was unfurled high above straightaway centre field congratulating Beltre on his 3,000th hit. His family was seated in the front row near the dugout, and his three children — two daughters and his son Adrian Jr. — went to right-centre field to pull off the tarp that covered a logo commemorating the accomplishment on the wall in front of the Rangers bullpen.
On an afternoon with temperatures in the 30s Celsius, the sun-soaked crowd stood in anticipation and started cheering when Beltre was introduced in his 2,771st career game. All of his teammates crowded on the rail of their first-base dugout to be as close as possible, and were on the field to celebrate with him after the hit.
Even Orioles players applauded the accomplishment.
The milestone came only minutes after former Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez finished his induction speech at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Barring unusual circumstances, getting 3,000 hits has traditionally been a ticket to the Hall.
“It’s one of those days that as a Ranger, you’ll forever remember that this is, on the calendar year, Ranger Day,” manager Jeff Banister said before the game, referring to Beltre as the “next Hall of Famer.”
After the fourth inning, a pre-recorded message from Rodriguez in Cooperstown congratulating Beltre for 3,000 hits was played on the video boards.
The only other current active player in the 3,000-hit club is Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who is tied with Hall of Fame player Craig Biggio for 22nd all-time at 3,060 hits.
Beltre is now tied for 30th place on the hits list with Roberto Clemente. Al Kaline (3,007) and Wade Boggs (3,010) are next up on the list.
Beltre’s first hit came as a 19-year-old rookie with the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 24, 1998, four years after they had signed him. After seven seasons with the Dodgers, he spent five years in Seattle and one in Boston before joining the Rangers in 2011, the year he finally made it to a World Series.
The double was Beltre’s 1,111th hit with the Rangers, after 949 with the Dodgers, 751 with the Mariners, and 189 in his only season with the Red Sox before going to Texas as a free agent. A big hitter, he has never bunted for a hit.
It was Beltre’s 605th career double, matching Paul Molitor for 14th all-time.