Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Hall of Fame Candidate Shares Surprising Connection To Cardinals

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Jan 20, 2026 3:26 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals have a rich history that precedes them, full of legendary players, managers, coaches and even broadcasters. Their current rebuild can't take that away from them.

The Hall-of-Fame announcement will take place at 6 p.m. Eastern Time, and fans will know which players will have gotten the call to Cooperstown. This year, there aren't any longtime Cardinals that have a realistic shot, but one candidate shares a unique history with St. Louis.

Carlos Beltran was at the plate and caught looking by Adam Wainwright's curveball to end the 2006 NLCS. That is a moment that lives on in Cardinals history, but there is something about Beltran that casual baseball fans may forget.

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Remembering Carlos Beltran's Time As A Cardinal

Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Yes, you read that right. Carlos Beltran was once a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. In December 2011, the Cardinals were coming off their most recent World Series title, but had just lost Albert Pujols to the Los Angeles Angels.

They needed somebody to fill the void, and sure enough, they got their man, signing Beltran to a two-year contract. There were a lot of question marks surrounding the 2012 team and how it would fare without Pujols, but Beltran helped replace that production.

In his first year with St. Louis, he hit 32 home runs and posted an .842 OPS, earning a starting spot on the National League All-Star roster. He also helped the Cardinals get back to the postseason and make a run all the way to Game 7 of the NLCS.

Unfortunately, he was kept out of the World Series again. But the following year, he hit 24 home runs and helped St. Louis win their 19th NL pennant.

The Cardinals lost the World Series to the Boston Red Sox, and Beltran left St. Louis after that season, but he still had some unforgettable moments as a Cardinal. St. Louis ironically the first team to take him to the World Series, and he also picked up his 2,000th hit as a member of the Cardinals.

Casual baseball fans may have forgotten that he was once a Cardinal, but he put together two of his best seasons while wearing the Birds on the Bat. In 2017, he finally won a title with the Houston Astros.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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