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Carlos Beltrán’s long road toward Hall of Fame induction has taken another major step forward. After years on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot, Beltrán now appears likely to finally cross the 75 percent threshold needed for election. This comes as the 2026 Hall of Fame vote results near their January 20 announcement, and Beltrán’s support has steadily climbed each year.
That traction matters because Beltrán’s Hall of Fame case has never been just about numbers. His career résumé puts him among the great outfielders of his era, but his association with the Houston Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal has lingered as a cloud over his legacy. With voters now closer than ever to granting him Cooperstown enshrinement, Beltrán could finally close a long chapter that has defined how many baseball fans remember him.
The Astros Scandal Made Beltrán The Face Of It All
The Astros’ sign-stealing investigation rocked Major League Baseball when it became public in late 2019. Commissioner Rob Manfred’s inquiry found that the Houston Astros used video cameras and other technology in 2017 to decode and relay opponents’ signs during games, which was a direct violation of MLB rules.
Beltrán, who was in his final playing season with the Astros that year and had already agreed to manage the New York Mets, was the only player specifically named in MLB’s report. He and the Mets mutually agreed to part ways before he ever led a game, an outcome that became one of the most visible personal consequences of the scandal.
That singular naming made Beltrán, in many eyes, the face of the controversy. Most players were not singled out in the same way, and Beltrán ended up being the only player named in the official report, even though multiple people were involved.
For years, critics have pointed to this unique treatment as both a reason why Beltrán’s Hall of Fame support lagged and why some feel he was treated unfairly. The shadow of the scandal followed him into Hall of Fame voting, even as his career statistics remained Hall worthy.
Being linked to what many saw as the worst ethical breach in recent baseball history changed how parts of the baseball community viewed Beltrán’s legacy. For some voters, it became a question not just of performance but of character, an element Hall of Fame voters are instructed to consider.
Still, the effect was uneven. Beltrán continued to gain support year after year on the ballot, increasing his percentage of votes while the overall conversation around the Astros’ scandal slowly shifted.
The Hall Of Fame Vote Might Finally Give Him His Moment Back
Beltrán’s statistical case for Cooperstown has always been strong. Over a 20-year career he was a nine-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glove winner, and one of the few players in history with at least 400 home runs and 300 stolen bases. Those accolades alone typically make a Hall of Fame candidate compelling.
Yet from his first year on the ballot in 2023 to today, his vote total has climbed steadily as the broader context around his Astros involvement has softened among many voters. Analysts tracking ballots say Beltrán is now within striking distance of the 75 percent mark needed for election, and many simulations project that he will clear it when results are announced.
This year’s ballot also lacks a flood of dominant first-time candidates, which could help long-time contenders like Beltrán finally break through. With his name appearing on more ballots each cycle, the narrative is shifting back to his achievements on the field rather than the controversy off it.
A Hall of Fame vote in Beltrán’s favor would not just be a career capstone. It might also signal a broader acceptance that his involvement in the scandal, while real, should not be the main factor in judging his life’s work in baseball. It could allow many fans and historians to reconsider his career in a more balanced light.