Carlos Beltran is returning to the New York Yankees… as a broadcaster. The 20-year major leaguer, who played for the Yankees from 2014 to 2016, is joining YES Network as a game analyst.
YES Network studio analyst Jack Curry reported the official news Friday evening:
As Curry mentioned, the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand first reported earlier in the month that YES Network was considering Beltran for an analyst gig along with Jeff Nelson, the just-retired Cameron Maybin, and John Flaherty (who already works for YES).
Beltran is expected to call 36 games, which should make up the difference from David Cone’s reduced schedule on Yankees telecasts. Cone is joining ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball booth this upcoming season and told reporters on a conference call that his workload would be pared down to 55 or 60 games from the 100 telecasts he called last season. YES also has to fill the opening left by Ken Singleton’s retirement. Flaherty and Paul O’Neill are also game analysts for the network.
Joining the YES Network broadcast team marks Beltran’s return to baseball after being fired as New York Mets manager before the 2020 season. Beltran was dismissed before he even managed a game for his key role in the Houston Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scheme. (Those Astros defeated the Yankees in a seven-game American League Championship Series.)
Beltran will also be on the 2023 Hall of Fame ballot. A .279 career average with an .837 OPS, 2,725 hits, 435 home runs, 1,587 RBI, and 312 stolen bases give him a strong case for induction. (Those numbers include a .270 average, .797 OPS, 311 hits, 56 home runs, and 180 RBI in nearly three seasons with the Yankees.)
But will his association with the Astros’ cheating scandal cost him election, especially in his first year on the ballot? If Beltran draws praise as a broadcaster, showing insight and knowledge, that could help how he’s remembered. Strong work in the booth could possibly make him a managerial candidate again.
Ian Casselberry is a sports media columnist for BSM. He has previously written and edited for Awful Announcing, The Comeback, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation. You can find him on Twitter @iancass or reach him by email at iancass@gmail.com.
