SAN DIEGO — Carlos Beltran is a statesmanlike figure among Puerto Rican ballplayers. Nearly 40, he has long felt a responsibility to give back — be it through the baseball academy he founded at home, his advocacy for Spanish-language interpreters in each clubhouse or dispensing advice to young prospects forging a career in baseball.

But when the Puerto Rican players began dyeing their hair blond during the World Baseball Classic, well, it was a lot to ask of the button-down Beltran.

“They look at me, as the veteran guy, like, ‘What are you going to do?’” Beltran said. “I told them, ‘I’m not going to dye my hair.’”

The next day, Beltran showed up with his beard dyed blond.

“They were excited,” he said, smiling.

This year’s W.B.C. has thus far proved to be an inspiring tournament, with thrilling games, passionate players and boisterous fans showing off the best the sport has to offer on stages as diverse as Tokyo; Miami; Guadalajara, Mexico; and Seoul, South Korea. To boot, there have also been plenty of totems — platinum hair, a golden plátano and a Mensch on a Bench.