Ichiro’s near-unanimous vote leads the Hall of Fame Class of 2025
CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner join him in Cooperstown, while Mark Buehrle will see a sixth year on the ballot
Tonight marked the moment of truth for several baseball greats, as the outcome of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voting resulted in a three-member 2025 Hall of Fame class.
Election to the HOF requires selection by at least 75% of eligible BBWAA voters. Ichiro Suzuki (99.7%), CC Sabathia (86.8%) and Billy Wagner (82.5%) each cleared those guidelines with room to spare.
Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro’s Hall of Fame induction was never in doubt. The question was whether he could achieve unanimous selection, but unfortunately he missed it by just a single vote.
The first Japanese position player to successfully transition to Major League Baseball, Ichiro immediately electrified the league upon his 2001 debut with the Seattle Mariners. The 27-year-old rookie hit .350/.381/.457, capturing the AL batting title and an unprecedented sweep of the AL MVP, Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger, and Gold Glove awards. This wasn’t just a successful rookie season; it was a seismic shift in the perception of international Japanese talent.
Ichiro’s 19-year career was a masterpiece: a .311/.355/.402 slash line, 10 All-Star appearances, 10 Gold Gloves, and an astonishing 3,089 hits cemented his place among the game’s all-time greats. Counting his Japanese totals, it’s Ichiro who stands as baseball’s all-time hit king, not Pete Rose.
CC Sabathia
Also in his first year of eligibility, the southpaw joins the Hall of Fame as the first starting pitcher inducted since 2019.
Drafted 20th overall by Cleveland in 1998 at 18 years old, Sabathia quickly ascended through the minors and made his debut in 2001. He became a dominant force in Cleveland, leading them to the AL Central Division titles in 2001 and 2007. Traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008, he had a dominant single season as a Brewer. Sabathia then spent the final 11 years of his career with the New York Yankees, kicking that off with a World Series victory in 2009.
A true workhorse, Sabathia consistently dominated on the mound. He showcased his endurance with 10 complete games in 2008 and surpassed the 200-inning mark eight times. A member of the 3,000 strikeout club (3,093), Sabathia amassed 251 career victories, a 3.74 ERA, and a 62.3 WAR over his 19-year career. His accolades include the 2007 Cy Young Award, the 2009 ALCS MVP, and six All-Star selections, solidifying his status as one of the most accomplished pitchers of his era.
Billy Wagner
After missing the threshold by just five votes last season, the hard-throwing southpaw finally got his call from the Hall in his 10th and last year of eligibility.
The Houston Astros selected Billy the Kid in Round 1 (No. 12) in the 1993 MLB Draft. He played Division III college baseball at Ferrum College, where he earned All-American, All-Conference, All-State, and All-Region recognition. The former Panther made his major league debut in September 1995.
A dominant left-handed reliever, Billy Wagner boasts 422 career saves, ranking eighth all-time and second among lefties. His remarkable 2.31 ERA across 903 innings is the second-lowest since 1900 for pitchers who surpassed 900 innings. He was a five-time All-Star and won the NL Relief Man Award in 1999.
A testament to his versatility, Wagner began his career as a starting pitcher before transitioning to the bullpen in 1995. This pivotal shift yielded immense success, culminating in an outstanding 16-year major league career.
Congratulations to Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, and Billy Wagner!
Other HOF Notes
With 5% necessary to stay on the ballot, White Sox great Mark Buehrle stays relevant by appearing on 11.4% of the ballots and getting 45 votes. Those numbers are up from the 8.3% and 32 votes he received in 2024. At this point, if he’s to make it in, he might be on course to follow Billy Wagner’s path or possibly via the Veterans’ Committee. Only time will tell.
It was close, but there were no cigars for Carlos Beltrán at 70.3% and Andruw Jones at 66.2%. However, both increased their number of votes and percentages from last year.