Over the next couple of weeks, the Bronx Pinstripes team is going to review every player’s season on the 2015 Yankees… the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The second year of his three year contract began just where it left off in 2014. Carlos Beltran hit .233 in 109 games in his first full season in Pinstripes. A very disappointing first year for a proven veteran who was expected to come in and contribute right away.
Once the 2015 season started, the Yankees had plenty of questions regarding their rotation, injury and age. That question mark included Beltran. After a horrendous 2014 campaign, management and fans did not know what to expect from the aging right fielder. When May rolled around, Beltran was hitting .162 with no home runs and seven runs batted in.
Fans wanted him off the team forever, screaming for a replacement. But Girardi kept his faith in Beltran. By the end of the season, Beltran was the Yankees most reliable and best hitter. He lead the team with a .276 average, hitting .353 in August and .400 in October.
His biggest moment in Pinstripes came against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 14. The Yankees trailed 3-0 in the 8th. Chase Headley hit a ground-rule double, scoring Mark Teixeira and moving Brian McCann to third. Beltran stepped to the plate, replacing Chris Young. Aaron Sanchez threw a 1-2 fastball that Beltran did not miss.
“That one is drilled deep to right field, going back Bautista, looking up, See Yaaaaa! A pinch-hit three-run home run for Carlos Beltran. A huge blow for the Yankees,” screamed a joyous Michael Kay.
His biggest home run in his short Yankee career kept the Yankees division chances alive.
However, the season ended in disappointment for Beltran and the Yankees. One of the most clutch hitters in postseason history, went 1-for-4 in the AL Wild Card round.
The Yankees will look for Beltran to hit like he did post All-Star break in 2016 as the 39-year-old is locked in at right field. After beginning the season extremely poor, Beltran became the most trusted and reliable hitter in the middle of the Yankees order.
