Former Red Sox Reliever Entering Hall Of Fame This Weekend

The class of 2025 will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, with Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, Billy Wagner, Dick Allen, and Dave Parker all receiving professional baseball’s highest honor.

The ceremony, which takes place in Cooperstown, New York, is expected to draw thousands of fans over the weekend. Suzuki, Sabathia, and Wagner were voted in by The Baseball Writers’ Association of America earlier this year, while Allen and Parker were selected by The Classic Baseball Era Committee this past winter.

It took ten years on the ballot for Wagner, a former Boston Red Sox relief pitcher, to gain the votes necessary for induction into the Hall of Fame. The hard-tossing closer saved 422 games during his 16-year Major League Baseball career, and spent time with the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, and Red Sox.

Wagner joined the Red Sox after being claimed off waivers from the Mets in August 2009, and during his brief stint in Boston, the seven-time All-Star appeared in 15 games and went 1-1 with a 1.98 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings.

Speaking to MLB.com‘s Brian McTaggart last week, Wagner seemed awestruck when discussing his impending date with baseball immortality.

“When I walked through the Hall the first time, it was mind boggling to think of my name being there with the greats of the greats,” said Wagner, per McTaggart. “It will definitely take some time to sink in. Even since they announced that I made it, I haven’t had a chance to sit back and go, ‘Holy cow.’ It’s been a whirlwind.”