Former Red Sox Teammate Remembers Adrian Beltre Playing With Torn Hamstring
Many of Adrián Beltré’s Texas Rangers teammates joined him at Globe Life Field for his Baseball Hall of Fame press conference last week. More than a dozen of them posed for a group photo in the clubhouse.
But it wasn’t just former Rangers teammates that were happy for Beltré. One of his former Boston Red Sox teammates expressed his gratitude for Beltré’s election.
Lester and Beltré didn’t play together long. They overlapped in Boston by one year — 2010. Lester broke in with Boston and played nearly a decade for the Red Sox. Beltré played that 2010 season in Boston before he signed a deal with the Rangers in free agency.
Both had fine seasons in Boston. Lester went 19-9 with a 3.25 ERA and finished second in American League Cy Young voting. Beltré batted .321 with 28 home runs 102 RBI. He also led the Majors with 49 doubles.
Both were selected to the All-Star Game. Beltré also won a Silver Slugger and finished ninth in AL Most Valuable Player voting.
Lester shared his joy over Beltré’s election during an interview at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions golf tournament in comments conveyed by USA Today.
“He’s such a great human being, really an incredible human being and incredible teammate," Lester said. “One thing about Adrian is that joker plays no matter what. I’m sure physically he tried to play through pain, and he still went out there and did his job.
“I’ve never seen anything like him. He tore his hamstring, and still was out there trying to play. Just incredible.”
Lester was referencing the hamstring problems that Beltré had in 2010 while in Boston.
Beltré was elected to the Hall of Fame on Tuesday and will be inducted on July 21 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Lester finished his 16-year career 200-117 with a 3.66 ERA, which included five All-Star Game selections and three World Series rings. He last pitched for Washington and St. Louis in 2021.
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