El Capitan has called it a career.
With a carefully crafted press release Tuesday, Adrian Beltre brought his 21-year Hall of Fame career to an end, telling Rangers fans it was a "hell of a ride," and expressing thanks to the organization that brought him to the brink of a World Series title.
Now comes the wait for the next step: Induction into the Hall of Fame.
Beltre, who turns 40 in April, will almost certainly be a first-ballot Hall of Famer after waiting the mandatory five years following retirement. He finishes his career with 3,166 hits, the 15th most all-time and with 477 home runs, the 30th most in major league history.