15 Years Ago Today, This Bold Signing Changed Texas Rangers' History

On January 5, 2011, the Texas Rangers made history with a bold but risky blockbuster free agent signing.

Texas Rangers ballcap and glove | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

This offseason, the budget-conscious Texas Rangers have taken a relatively conservative approach to roster-building. Apart from their blockbuster Marcus Semien-for-Brandon Nimmo trade with the New York Mets, they've opted for a handful of modest, short-term signings of the likes of Danny Jansen, Alexis Diaz and Tyler Alexander rather than putting themselves in the mix for top free agents.

It hasn't always been this way. In fact, much of the blueprint of the Rangers' 2023 World Series roster was built via free agency, with Semien, Jon Gray, Nathan Eovaldi and World Series MVP Corey Seager all joining Texas on big contracts before serving as the foundation for a championship team.

But while you can't argue with the impact of any of those signings, arguably the most impactful deal in Rangers' history was signed exactly 15 years ago today. That's when the club agreed to terms with 32-year-old All-Star third baseman Adrian Beltre on a six-year, $96 million mega-deal.

Impact of the Beltre Deal

exas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre (29) reacts during the first inning of a 2018 game against the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Park in Arlington. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Beltre deal wasn't the biggest contract that the franchise had ever handed out. That would belong to the precedent-setting 10-year, $252 million pact that landed Alex Rodriguez in 2000 (since surpassed by Seager's 10-year, $325 million deal). But while that yielded three All-Star seasons and an MVP award from Rodriguez, the club never won as many as 74 games and Rodriguez was Bronx-bound to join the New York Yankees by 2003.

Beltre, on the other hand, was worth every penny.

He was signed to put Texas over the top after the organization had fallen just short in the 2010 World Series. However, there was plenty of risk involved. The Rangers and then-GM Jon Daniels were giving significant money and term to an aging infielder who had already shown signs of decline as a member of the Seattle Mariners before boosting his value with a bounce-back season with the Boston Red Sox.

Beltre did everything he could to bring a championship to Texas, sharing the team lead in home runs (32) despite missing nearly 40 games while also sporting an .892 OPS. In the postseason, he had five home runs and 19 hits in just 17 games, although the club suffered an agonizing Game 7 loss in the World Series to fall short once again.

Then, somehow, Beltre got better as he ventured into his mid-thirties. At a time when age-related decline is common, the Hall of Famer from the Dominican Republic continued to produce offensively.

In 2012, Beltre recorded 50 more hits from the previous season (194, from 144) while improving in home runs (36), average (.321) and OPS (.921), finishing third in AL MVP voting. The next year, he led the American League with 199 hits.

In 2014, he had the last of his four All-Star campaigns at age 35. By 2016, at age 37, he earned himself a new contract by hitting .300 with 32 home runs and 104 RBI while also securing his fifth and final Gold Glove award.

All told, Beltre outperformed his original contract with the Rangers and ultimately signed an extension to retire as one of the franchise's greatest players. He ranks in the top-10 all-time in hits, runs, home runs and RBI while also delivering perhaps one of the most unlikely career bounce-backs in MLB history.

Adrian Beltre, we salute you - and no, we won't touch your head.

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