When the Astros signed Carlos Beltran to a one-year, $16 million deal in the offseason, it was largely well-received. Not only was Beltran still a productive hitter, but his clubhouse presence would be invaluable.
As we close in on the All-Star break, things look slightly different. Beltran has struggled at the plate to the tune of a .232/.286/.408 slash line through Tuesday. This is well below the .295/.337/.471 mark he posted in 2016. He’s now 40 years old, so there’s little room for growth.
Despite his struggles, Beltran played in 71 of the team’s first 84 games this season.