Rusty Weiss
Carlos Beltrán was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday as part of the Class of 2026.
The former center fielder, who received 84.2% of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) in his fourth year on the ballot, will be inducted alongside Andruw Jones (78.4%) and Contemporary Era Committee selectee Jeff Kent during ceremonies in Cooperstown on July 26.
Beltrán’s enshrinement comes despite his central role in the 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, a controversy that tarnished the team’s World Series title and led to suspensions for key figures like manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow.
Pete Rose was banned forever (until recently) because he bet on his own team. Steroid users are still on the outside looking into the Hall of Fame, despite the fact that there were no rules against PEDs at the time, and some would say their use was encouraged by MLB. But a blatant cheat is now in Cooperstown.
Bravo, Carlos Beltrán 👏
— MLB (@MLB) January 20, 2026
Welcome to Cooperstown! pic.twitter.com/JW6FjaUG2J
Carlos Beltrán Hall of Fame Induction Sparks Outrage: Fans Slam Voters for Letting Astros Sign-Stealer In While Steroid Users Remain Barred
Beltrán, a nine-time All-Star who amassed 435 home runs, 2,725 hits, and 312 stolen bases over a 20-year career with teams including the Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, and Astros, was identified in MLB‘s investigation as a key architect of the illegal sign-stealing scheme.
Cheating in baseball sucks. The Houston Astros suck. And the cheating Houston Astros from 2017 really, really suck.
Indeed, 2017 was the year that the Astros destroyed the integrity of the game by cheating in baseball. The two teams with the biggest gripe over what happened that season were the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Astros defeated New York in the ALCS 4-2 and then Los Angeles in the World Series 4-3, grabbing their first world title in franchise history.
But they cheated to do it.
The Astros used a sophisticated sign-stealing system during the 2017 season and part of the 2018 season, according to an MLB investigation. Houston employed a camera in center field to decode opposing teams’ signs. This information was then relayed to the dugout and ultimately to batters through various methods, including the now-infamous banging on a trash can.
This method gave the Astros an unfair advantage. Major League players knowing what pitch is coming ahead of time? It cannot be overstated how much of a bonus that was for their hitters.
The fallout included suspensions for General Manager Jeff Luhnow and Manager A.J. Hinch, both of whom were fired by the Astros, as well as significant fines and draft-pick losses for the team. MLB, however, did not punish a single player on the team; instead, it offered them immunity for their cooperation.
As the only player named in Commissioner Rob Manfred’s report, Beltrán faced significant backlash, including losing his managerial job with the Mets before ever coaching a game.
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Critics argue that Beltrán’s induction highlights a glaring inconsistency in how the BBWAA addresses cheating.
“Carlos Beltran made the Hall of Fame, which in my opinion should piss off all PED users that can’t get in… CHEATING!” one fan fumed on X.
Another wondered, “If Beltran gets in despite being one of the architects of the sign-stealing scandal, certainly the steroid guys should get a harder look, no?”
“So the BBWAA wouldn’t vote for Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens to be in the Hall of Fame because they allegedly cheated, but Carlos Beltran, who was actually suspended for being the ringleader of a cheating scheme, gets in. Got it,” an observer wrote.
“Players who admitted to steroids can’t be forgiven, but Carlos Beltran, who admitted to cheating for a World Series title, is forgiven? In your own words: make it make sense,” another said, directly addressing one of the voters.
Players who admitted to steroids can’t be forgiven, but Carlos Beltran, who admitted to cheating for a World Series title, is forgiven? In your own words: make it make sense, Boob. https://t.co/sEKORarGDv
— Cookie (@CookieJoy720) January 20, 2026
I absolutely hate saying this because steroid cheaters should have been punished in some manner. But the fact is, they were still playing within the rules set out by MLB at the time that the big scandal exploded. They technically weren’t guilty of anything. MLB and the nostalgic “writers” can’t pretend to hold the higher ground any longer.
And it’s impossible to determine who is worthy and unworthy in the steroid era. Pitchers like Roger Clemens were facing roided-up monsters in the batter’s box. Everyone at that time was seeking an advantage.
The Astros and Beltran actually broke the rules. One cheater is in the Hall of Fame. Several steroid users are still on the outs. It’s absurd.