Despite working for the NY Yankees these days ... even Carlos Beltran had to admit the Houston Astros CRUSHED the MLB treadline -- telling TMZ Sports he loved the Zack Greinke pickup!
"I mean, Greinke's one of the best pitchers in the game," Beltran says.
Of course, Carlos did have two stints as an Astro during his 20-year MLB career ... but the 42-year-old now works as an adviser to Yankees GM Brian Cashman.
But, Beltran just had to put work allegiances aside when our camera guy asked about the league's trade deadline moves .