Putting Adrián Beltré's 2004 Power Binge in Proper Perspective
Beltré had a remarkable career, but his '04 power production doesn't compare to anything else.
Today, we talk about the ridiculous number of homers Adrian Beltré hit during the 2004 season and how it jumps off the page compared to his other performances.
How Unexpected Was Adrián Beltré’s Breakout?
It’s wild how much Adrián Beltré’s 2004 home run binge with the Los Angeles Dodgers sticks out on his Baseball-Reference page:
· From 2002-03, he racked up 44 homers with 155 RBI in 1,243 plate appearances.
· In 2004, his 48 homers led the league. He also collected 121 RBI in just 657 plate appearances.
· From 2005-06, Beltré hit a combined 44 homers with 176 RBI in 1,331 plate appearances.
He spent the final two years of this stretch in Seattle with the Mariners at a pitcher-friendly Safeco Park, but still interesting to see how that one season stands out.
Beltré enjoyed five seasons of 30-plus homers and his next-highest total was 36 in 2012 with the Texas Rangers.
Home Runs to Enjoy
4/6/2004: Beltré’s 100th career home run came in LA at Dodger Stadium.
7/23/2006: He put on his P.F. Flyers to record an inside-the-park home run for the Mariners.
10/24/2011: When I think of Adrián Beltré hitting homers, I think about him slugging them on one knee. There was no way I wasn’t including this one.
8/24/2012: Beltré hit for the cycle. It was the second time he did it in his career and the sixth cycle that was accomplished by a Rangers player.
Adrián Beltré Blog Spotlight
As you can imagine, Beltré’s 2004 season has put him in good company when it comes to Dodgers single-season performances. Those 48 homers are the third-most in franchise history behind Shohei Ohtani (54 in 2024) and Shawn Green (49 in 2001). He’s also LA’s single-season home run record holder for third basemen.
Beltré played for four teams during his Hall of Fame career. The Rangers were the team he spent most of his time with (eight seasons). His 199 homers for the franchise rank fifth all-time.
One home run highlight not above that needs to be mentioned is his inclusion in an exclusive postseason club. He’s one of just 11 players who have slugged three homers during one game in October.
P.S. I’ve compiled some of my best blog posts into a book for a comprehensive look at each MLB team’s single-season home run leaderboard at each position. You can buy the ebook on Gumroad (or get it for free as a paid subscriber) and the paperback book on Amazon.
Single-Season HR Performances | Career HR Performances | Postseason HR Leaders | HR Derby Performances
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