Carlos Beltran Hall of Fame Bid Highlights His Iconic 2004 Astros Playoff Run

Beltran's Hall of Fame bid highlights his iconic 2004 Astros playoff run, where he hit eight homers and nearly won it all.

Sep 25, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Carlos Beltran (15) smiles after the benches clear during the second inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

Carlos Beltran's road to Cooperstown goes straight through Houston. The nine-time All-Star looks set to join the Hall of Fame when results come out today, thanks largely to one of the best postseason runs in baseball history during his 2004 time with the Astros.

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MLB Network analyst Jon Morosi highlighted Beltran's candidacy during the network's Hall of Fame coverage, emphasizing the concentration of talent on that 2004 Houston roster. Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio were both inducted into the Hall of Fame as the franchise's first two representatives with Astros caps on their plaques. Jeff Kent just got elected through the Contemporary Era Committee after his two years in Houston from 2003-04.

"You think about that iconic team, probably one of the best ever to not reach the World Series because they've already got Jeff Bagwell in, Craig Biggio in, Jeff Kent just got in last month, and then Carlos Beltran," Morosi said during the broadcast.

Are the 2004 Astros the greatest team to NOT win the World Series?@jonmorosi | #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/BeKnH0mL9Q

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The Royals traded Beltran to Houston on June 24, 2004, sending their star outfielder to a team that already had Bagwell, Biggio, Kent, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt. He hit .258 with 23 homers and 28 stolen bases in just 90 games.

Morosi called it "one of the best sustained postseason runs of any hitter that we have ever seen," noting Beltran hit "23 homers in basically half a year, and then he goes on to have this iconic run during the playoffs."

The Astros beat the Braves in the Division Series and faced Tony La Russa's Cardinals in the NLCS. That St. Louis team featured Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Jim Edmonds, Larry Walker and Scott Rolen.

Beltran launched eight homers during Houston's playoff run, tying Barry Bonds' record for most in a single postseason. Five came in back-to-back games, another record. His postseason OPS reached 1.557 as the Astros fell one win short of the World Series.

The Long Road to Induction

Carlos Beltran | Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

That 2004 run should've made Beltran a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but his path took longer because of his part in the 2017 Astros sign-stealing scandal. That cost him his Mets manager job before he coached a single game. When his name first appeared on the ballot in 2023, he got just 46.5 percent of the votes.

The climb since has been steady. Beltran went to 57.1% in 2024 and reached 70.3% last year, missing the 75% cutoff by just 19 votes. Early ballot tracking shows him getting around 89% support right now, so today should finally be his day.

His election makes him the fourth player from that legendary 2004 Astros team headed to Cooperstown, joining Bagwell, Biggio, and Kent. Clemens remains a candidate for future Contemporary Era Committee votes, while Andy Pettitte has seen his support jump unexpectedly this year. Lance Berkman fell off the ballot after getting just 1.2% in his only year.

Houston's current roster features several potential Hall of Famers, with Jose Altuve leading the way. The second baseman has built a resume with two World Series rings and an MVP award that mirrors the talent level that made the 2004 Astros roster so special.

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