2023 HOF candidate Carlos Beltran once expressed frustration for being tagged as the primary offender in Astros sign-stealing scandal

In 2022, former MLB outfielder Carlos Beltran confessed his frustration regarding being tagged as the main offender in the 2017 Astros sign-stealing scandal. The Astros' signature stealing scandal took place when players from the Astros sought the help of technology to steal the signatures of their opponents while the 2017-18 season was going on.

"Everyone gets immunity except Carlos Beltrán? I don’t get it."

Carlos Beltran lost his job as the New York Mets' manager when his primary role in the sign-stealing scandal was revealed. He expressed his dismay at the fact that no one in the organization spoke out against the wrongdoing when it was taking place.

"Carlos Beltrán's time as manager of the #Mets came to an end #OTD in 2020, when the club & Beltrán agreed to mutually part ways due to his involvement with the Astros' sign-stealing scheme."- Mathew Brownstein

Carlos Beltran was one of the masterminds who came up with the sign-stealing strategy. When higher authorities became aware of the atrocity, they sent out a letter citing that strict actions would be taken against people participating in the electronic sign-stealing. However, Beltran revealed that the front office did not communicate the same to the players.

Carlos Beltran on why he didn't step down while the Astros' sign stealing scandal was taking place.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - AUGUST 19: Carlos Beltran 36 of the Texas Rangers watches from the dugout in the first inning of their game with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on August 19, 2016 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Joseph Garnett, Jr. /Getty Images)

Beltran said the wrong-doing would have immediately stopped had the organization decided to put its foot down and take action when the incident took place.

"In an interview with Michael Kay, Carlos Beltrán says the Astros' players would have listened if told to stop the sign-stealing scheme. However, it was impractical to suggest the players would've stopped by themselves."- The Atheletic

Carlos Beltran said it was not logical for the higher authorities to expect that they would just magically stop doing something that was working well in their favor. Instead, strict action should have been taken immediately to stop the team from taking the wrong path.

"And my answer is, I didn’t stop it the same way no one stopped it. This is working for us. Why you gonna stop something that is working for you?"

Carlos Beltran expressed how the other players and himself failed to realize the gravity of stealing signs. The method worked in their favor, so they couldn't see anything wrong in doing it. He failed to realize how, despite everyone partaking in the activity, only his name came out in the MLB report.