So close, yet so far, for Carlos Beltran becoming a Hall of Famer

Three players — Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner — were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Another deserving candidate, outfielder Carlos Beltran, came agonizingly close to being the fourth.

Beltran has the credentials of a Hall of Fame caliber player. A nine-time All-Star, he posted a .279/.350/.486 batting line in his 11,031 plate appearances, hitting 435 homers and 565 doubles while stealing 312 bases. He is one of eight players in MLB history to hit 300+ homers and steal 300+ bases. 

Beltran was an excellent defensive outfielder as well. A three-time Gold Glove winner, Beltran saved 104 runs in center, the seventh most in MLB history. His impressive all-around performance would seemingly pave his way to Cooperstown.

That appeared to be the case before the Hall of Fame announcement. According to Ryan Thibadoux's Hall of Fame tracker, Beltran was named on 81.5% of the public ballots, gaining 25 votes in his third year. However, Beltran was named on just 56.7% of the private ballots, torpedoing his Hall of Fame aspirations.

Beltran's candidacy goes beyond his statistical accomplishments. He was a central figure in the Astros' sign-stealing scandal, helping create the system to relay signs to the batter. His role in that scandal cost him the Mets' managerial position in 2020 as he stepped away without ever managing a game.

Typically, players who receive 70% of the vote are eventually elected into the Hall of Fame. Beltran still has seven years on the ballot and needs to add approximately 20 votes. Two voters who voted for Beltran in the past left him off their ballots this year; those two are likely to add the former All-Star in the future. Time is on Beltran's side although it should not have taken this long for his induction.