Adrian Beltre finished his career with 3,166 hits and 477 homers.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Adrian Beltre had a sometimes-imposing stare and plenty of quirky habits. He also had a genuine love for the game, and a lot of fun in a Hall of Fame-caliber career.
After 21 big league seasons in which Beltre hit 477 home runs and became the first player from the Dominican Republic to have 3,000 hits, the slick-fielding third baseman for the Texas Rangers retired Tuesday at age 39.
“After careful consideration and many sleepless nights, I have made the decision to retire from what I’ve been doing my whole life, which is playing baseball, the game I love,” Beltre said in a statement. “I have thought about it a lot and although I appreciate all the opportunities and everything that baseball has given me, it’s time to call it a career.”
Beltre, who will be eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot in five years, was a .286 hitter with 1,707 RBI in 2,933 career games. His 3,166 hits rank 16th on the career list, with his homers total 30th and RBI 24th. He played 2,759 games at third base – only Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson had more.
Beltre played one season with the Red Sox, 2010.
Boston also removed two pitchers off the roster, outrighting Austin Maddox to Pawtucket and releasing William Cuevas to allow him to sign with the KT Wiz in Korea.
The 29-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic was told in July by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred that he could return to the big leagues in 2019.
Mejia was suspended for life on Feb. 12,2016, after his third positive test for a banned steroid.
The drug agreement allowed him to apply a year later for reinstatement that would be effective a minimum of two years after the ban started, with the decision at the commissioner’s discretion.
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