Category: MLB

There was no need for advanced analytics or algorithms.

No need for any public relations campaigns.

Simply, Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday night the old-fashioned way.

The Baseball Writers' Association of America had elected only two center fielders the past 45 years – Kirby Puckett and Ken Griffey Jr. – but this pair born only a day apart, were voted in on the same night. Beltrán received 84.2% of the vote in his fourth year on the ballot while Jones received 78.4% in his ninth appearance.

Beltrán, who was a winner of the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, becomes only the sixth player from Puerto Rico to be elected, while Jones is the first player from the island of Curaçao.

“There’s no doubt that today my life has really changed being named to the Hall of Fame and what this really means to me, to Puerto Rico, to our family …" Beltrán said. “I’m humbled. Just look at my story, coming up as a Latino player, and coming from a humble family, and now I have a plaque in Cooperstown next to all of those great players."

Jones thanked former slugger Hensley Meulens for inspiring future players from Curaçao to make the big leagues, and believes that closer Kenley Jansen will be the next player from the island to be elected to Cooperstown.

“We grew up playing baseball, and that’s all we did,” said Jones, who will manage Team Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. “Hensley Meulens was the first guy to open the door for us, and gave guys after him to give us a chance. There were so many guys who helped me in so many ways.

“To be the first player to make it from Curaçao is a great honor.”

If you saw Beltrán and Jones play, you knew these two center fielders were Hall of Famers.

If you asked their former teammates, managers, coaches and opponents, you knew these two players were Hall of Famers.

All you had to do is watch. And listen.

Hall of Famer Willie Mays told Jones one day by the batting cage in San Francisco that he was the best center fielder he’s ever seen. Atlanta’s dynasty included six Hall of Famers and every single one said the Hall wouldn’t be complete until Jones joined them.

“I didn’t play this game to be a Hall of Famer, but to win,” Jones said. “We built teams to win championships. We won our division 14 years in a row. I was proud to be part of that."

Jones was a meteor who burst onto the scene in the 1996 World Series, won 10 Gold Glove awards in his first 10 seasons, and was widely considered not only the greatest defensive outfielder of his era, but one of the greatest ever.

Mays and Roberto Clemente are the only outfielders in history to win more Gold Glove awards. If his career didn’t crater after 11 years with Atlanta – hitting just .210 with a .740 OPS and 66 homers his last five seasons covering 434 games – he might have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Beltrán was a fabulous five-tool player and had some of the greatest baseball acumen of anyone in the game. A nine-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, Beltrán hit .279 with 435 homers and 1,587s RBI in 20 seasons. He also had one of the greatest resumes in postseason history (.307, 16 homers, 42 RBIs).

“To be linked to Roberto Clemente, Roberto Alomar, Pudge Rodriguez," Beltrán said, “really means a lot. I will continue to do what I love and that’s to promote the game and continue to help the kids here on the island. Hopefully, we can create more opportunities for the Latino players."

If Beltrán had retired just one year earlier and didn’t play for the 2017 Houston Astros, who were later caught illegally stealing signs during the entire season, he likely would have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

“People share or people talk about what happened with the Astros," Beltrán said, “but I feel a lot of times there are agendas that are not positive. But when I look at my career, you’re going to go through ups and downs in life. You’re going to make good decisions and so-so decisions. You’re also going to make bad decisions. …

“Being back in the game of baseball, I still receive a lot of love from the players, the teammates that I had inside the clubhouse. They know the type of person that I am, but at the same time, understand that’s also a story I have to deal with.’’

After being fired as the Mets manager in 2020 without managing a single game in the wake of the Astros scandal, Beltrán says he’d be open again if someone gives him an opportunity. For now, he’s content working in player development for the Mets.

The election certainly took longer than each hoped, but the wait made the center fielders appreciate the honor even more on this day, with Beltrán even FaceTiming Jones after the results were announced.

Besides, once you’re in the Hall of Fame, all that matters is that you’re in baseball’s most prestigious club. There are no designations on your plaque for how many years it took for election. All that matters is that you're hanging in the gallery alongside Babe Ruth and Bob Gibson.

“As a baseball player, we know how hard it is just to get into the Baseball of Fame, and once you do, it’s one of those things you’ll never forget," Jones said. “So to be in a class with all of those greats, all of those legends that you watch videos, the guys that you followed for a long time, to be on the same [stage] with them is such a great honor."

Jones and Beltrán each had warts on their resumes, but really, it’s no different than anyone else in the Hall of Fame. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera remains the only player the baseball writers thought was perfect, giving him 100% of the vote.

Their inclusion may open the door for others behind them.

Now that Beltrán is the first player to be elected into the Hall of Fame from the Astros’ cheating scandal, how can All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve be blocked from the Hall when his time arrives, or anyone else from that team?

And now that Jones is in the Hall of Fame, could this assist Torii Hunter’s candidacy with his nine Gold Gloves, 353 homers and 2,452 hits ( 519 more than Jones)? Certainly, it has to be a boost for Kenny Lofton (six-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, 2,428 hits) who was off the BBWAA ballot after one year, but remains eligible for election on the contemporary era committee when it meets again in three years.

We’ll discover the ramifications of their inclusion in future Hall of Fame elections.

All that matters today is that Beltrán and Jones are Hall of Famers now and forever.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones kick open Baseball Hall of Fame doors in 2026

Outfielders Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, in results announced by the Baseball Writers Association of America on Tuesday afternoon.

Beltrán and Jones will be inducted to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on Sunday, July 26 along with second baseman Jeff Kent, who was voted in by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee in December.

Beltrán was named on 358 of 425 ballots (84.2 percent) by the BBWAA, surpassing the 75-percent threshold required for induction in his fourth year on the ballot. For Jones, his rise in support was more methodical, starting with only 7.3 percent and 7.5 percent in 2018-19, his first two tries, barely above the five-percent needed to remain on the ballot. Jones this year received 78.4-percent support, clearing induction by 14 votes in his ninth year on the ballot.

Beltrán hit .279/.350/.486 with a 118 wRC+ with 435 home runs and 312 stolen bases in 20 big league seasons for the Royals, Astros, Mets, Giants, Cardinals, Yankees, and Rangers. A nine-time All-Star, Beltran also won three Gold Glove Awards in center field and two Silver Slugger Awards, and hit .307/.412/.609 with 16 home runs and a 169 wRC+ in 65 postseason games.

Jones is one of the best defensive center fielders ever and hit .263/.342/.497 with a 111 wRC+ and 434 home runs in his 17-year career, though was basically finished as a productive player after age 30. The Dodgers signed him to a two-year deal in 2008, his age-31 season, and he hit .158/.256/.249 in 75 games, his 35 OPS+ tied for the worst in Dodgers history in the live ball era, with a minimum of 200 plate appearances.

The biggest jump on the 2026 ballot was from pitcher Félix Hernández, who was named on 46.1 percent of ballots in his second try on the ballot, up from 20.6 percent in his first year. Chase Utley also had a sizable jump, going from 39.8 percent last year to 59.1 percent this year on his third ballot. Utley had the most votes on this ballot among players not inducted.

Cole Hamels got the most support of any first-year player on the ballot with 101 votes, 23.8 percent of the total.

Manny Ramírez received only 38.8 percent in his 10th and final year on the writers’ ballot, his 555 career home runs outweighed by his two suspensions under the MLB joint drug policy. This was his highest support in any of his 10 years on the ballot.

Torii Hunter isn’t anywhere close to induction and only got 8.7 percent of the vote this year, but that’s 16 votes more than the five-percent required for remaining on the ballot what for Hunter in 2027 will be his seventh year.

Longtime Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp received two votes in his first and now only year on the ballot. The BBWAA will release individual votes of writers who wished for their votes to be public on February 3.

Player	Year	Votes	Pct	2024 pct
Carlos Beltrán	4th	358	84.2%	70.3%
Andruw Jones	9th	333	78.4%	66.2%
Chase Utley	3rd	251	59.1%	39.8%
Andy Pettitte	8th	206	48.5%	27.9%
Félix Hernández	3rd	196	46.1%	20.6%
Alex Rodríguez	5th	170	40.0%	37.1%
Manny Ramírez	10th	165	38.8%	34.3%
Bobby Abreu	7th	131	30.8%	19.5%
Jimmy Rollins	5th	108	25.4%	18.0%
Cole Hamels	1st	101	23.8%	n/a
Dustin Pedroia	2nd	88	20.7%	11.9%
Mark Buehrle	6th	85	20.0%	11.4%
Omar Vizquel	9th	78	18.4%	17.8%
David Wright	3rd	63	14.8%	8.1%
Francisco Rodríguez	4th	50	11.8%	10.2%
Torii Hunter	6th	37	8.7%	5.1%
Ryan Braun	1st	15	3.5%	n/a
Edwin Encarnacion	1st	6	1.4%	n/a
Shin-Soo Choo	1st	3	0.7%	n/a
Hunter Pence	1st	2	0.5%	n/a
Rick Porcello	1st	2	0.5%	n/a
Matt Kemp	1st	2	0.5%	n/a
Nick Markakis	1st	1	0.2%	n/a
Alex Gordon	1st	1	0.2%	n/a

Carlos Beltrán dazzled Royals fans with highlight-reel catches, amazing power, and blazing speed, providing a rare bright spot during some otherwise gloomy seasons. Anyone who watched him during that stretch was watching a future Hall of Famer.

Beltrán was officially elected into the Hall of Fame in results announced by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on Tuesday. Beltrán was on 84.2 percent of ballots, clearing the 75 percent threshold on his fourth ballot. Joining him in the 2026 class will be outfielder Andruw Jones, who appeared on 78.4 percent of ballots in his ninth year.

Chase Utley continues to build support, but fell short with support on just 59.1 percent of the ballots. Manny Ramirez was not elected in his tenth and final year on the ballot, earning just 38.8 percent of the vote. Cole Hamels did the best among first-time candidates, named on 23.8 percent of ballots. Former Royals outfielder Alex Gordon was named on just one ballot and will not be eligible on next year’s ballot.

Beltrán spent 20 years in the big leagues, starting with the Royals. He won Rookie of the Year in 1999, becoming just the eighth rookie in MLB history to score 100 runs and drive in 100 runs. He went on to play for the Astros, Mets, Giants, Cardinals, Yankees, and Rangers before re-joining the Astros at the end of his career. He finished his MLB career with 2,725 hits, 435 home runs, 312 stolen bases, and a line of .279/.350/.486 with 70.1 rWAR. He was a nine-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner, two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and one of the more respected players in the game. His candidacy was later complicated by his involvement in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, likely delaying his induction.

Andruw Jones is regarded as one of the best defensive outfielders of all time and was a key member of the great Braves teams of the late 90s and early 2000s. In 17 seasons, he hit .254/.337/.486 with 434 homers, 1,289 RBIs, and 152 stolen bases with the Braves, Dodgers, Rangers, White Sox, and Yankees. He was a five-time All-Star, a ten-time Gold Glove winner, and he won a Silver Slugger Award in 2005 when he led the league in home runs (51) and RBI (128). His 24.4 defensive WAR is the most ever by an outfielder.

What cap Beltrán wears in Cooperstown remains to be seen. Players can request a certain team, but it is still at the discretion of the Hall, and sometimes a player enters with no logo. Beltrán spent seven years each with the Royals and Mets. He played 839 games with the Mets and 795 with the Royals. His most memorable postseason came in 2006 with the Mets, although he was known for making the last out in the NLCS. He later reached the World Series with the Cardinals in 2013 and won a championship with the Astros in 2017.

Beltrán and Jones will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 26, along with Jeff Kent, who was elected by the Contemporary Era committee.

Carlos Beltrán was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his fourth year on the ballot after securing 84.2% of the votes from the BBWAA.

Beltrán was once considered a lock to enter Cooperstown in his first year of eligibility, but following his prominent involvement in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal in 2017, he saw his standing with voters take a sizeable hit. The nine-time All-Star earned 46.5% of the vote in 2023 and 57.1% in 2024, but surged to 70.3% in 2025, falling just short of the required 75% but positioning him well for this year’s vote. It’s unclear whether Beltrán will wear a Mets hat, a Royals hat, or will go into Cooperstown with a blank cap on his plaque.

Signed by the Mets to a seven-year, $119 million in January 2005, Beltrán’s arrival signaled the start of a new era of Mets baseball alongside a core that included David Wright and Jose Reyes. Like many marquee players who signed with the Mets, he struggled in his first year in Queens, hitting .266/.330/.414 with 16 homers, 83 runs scored, 78 runs batted in, a 96 wRC+, and a 2.3 fWAR in 151 games. Despite earning an All-Star nod in 2005, that subpar season subjected Beltrán to boo birds early in his Mets’ tenure.

Beltrán quickly adjusted to New York, slashing .275/.388/.594 with 41 home runs (tied for most in a single season in franchise history at the time), 127 runs scored, 116 runs batted in, a 148 wRC+, and a 7.8 fWAR in 140 games in 2006. He was once again an All-Star and earned a Gold Glove award, a Silver Slugger award, and finish fourth in MVP voting. Unfortunately, he struck out looking to end the 2006 NLCS, and that image of him standing with the bat on his shoulders negatively overshadowed his positive contributions for the club and very unfairly affected his legacy in New York.

Beltrán never enjoyed a season quite as good as 2006, but his 2007 and 2008 seasons were still elite. He was an All-Star in both campaigns, won another Silver Slugger award in 2007, and earned the Gold Glove in both seasons, though the team suffered collapses that muted the joy of his accomplishments. Injuries held him to just 81 games in 2009 and 64 games in 2010, and he was eventually traded to the Giants during the 2011 season, netting the club right-handed pitcher Zack Wheeler. The centerfielder finished his career with the Mets hitting .280/.369/.500 with 149 home runs, 551 runs scored, 559 runs batted in, a 127 wRC+, and a 29.3 fWAR in 838 games. He ranks 17th in franchise history in hits (878), 12th in stolen bases (100), tenth in runs scored, seventh in home runs, RBI, and SLG, sixth in OBP, and fifth in OPS (.869). He is one of four Mets to ever win multiple Gold Glove awards, joining Keith Hernandez, David Wright, and Rey Ordóñez, and one of seven with multiple Silver Slugger awards, joining Wright, Gary Carter, Darryl Strawberry, Mike Piazza, Howard Johnson, and Francisco Lindor.

His Mets story also included an ill-fated managerial tenure; New York hired Beltrán to serve as the 22nd skipper in franchise history in November 2019, but they mutually parted way in January 2020 following revelations about his involvement in Houston’s sign-stealing scandal. That gave Beltrán the dubious honor of being the shortest-tenured Mets manager in franchise history. He returned to the organization in February 2023 as special assistant to General Manager Billy Eppler, and has stayed on in that role with David Stearns now at the helm.

Beltrán will be inducted into the Mets’ Hall of Fame later this season at Citi Field, alongside Lee Mazzilli and Bobby Valentine. Mets officials have reportedly discussed retiring his number 15 following this announcement, according to Mike Puma, although the timing may be difficult with the 40th anniversary celebration of the 1986 team and the Mets Hall of Fame induction already planned for this season.

The Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony will place on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in Cooperstown, NY. Beltrán will enter Cooperstown alongside another former Met, Jeff Kent, as well as Andruw Jones.

Twenty seven players were on the 2026 Hall of Fame ballot, and eight of those players were once Dodgers during their careers. One of them, center fielder Andruw Jones, was one of two players inducted to Cooperstown on Tuesday.

Jones received 78.4 percent of the vote in his penultimate time on the Baseball Writers Association of America ballot, surpassing the 75 percent required for induction.

Coupled with Jeff Kent elected to the Hall of Fame by the Contemporary Baseball Era in December, 2026 will be the first year with two Dodgers inducted to Cooperstown since pitcher Greg Maddux and manager Joe Torre in 2014. The last time two Dodgers players were inducted in the same class was 2003, with first baseman Eddie Murray and catcher Gary Carter. The previous two-Dodger class before that was 1984, with pitcher Don Drysdale and shortstop Pee Wee Reese.

Second baseman Chase Utley continued his steady climb toward potential induction, earning 59.1 percent of the vote in his third year on the ballot, up from 28.8 percent and 39.8 percent on his first two ballots.

Manny Ramírez received 34.3 percent in his 10th and final year on the writers ballot, his two drug suspensions outweighing his prodigious hitting. Cole Hamels, who was technically a Dodger in 2021 though he did not pitch for the team, got 23.8 percent of the vote in his first year on the ballot.

Bobby Abreu and Jimmy Rollins, who were one-season Dodgers later in their careers, each gained in 2026. Abreu got 30.8 percent of the vote in his seventh year on the ballot, up from 19.5 percent last year. Rollins got 25.4 percent on his fifth ballot, up from 18 percent.

Matt Kemp had the largest Dodgers contribution on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot, playing 10 of his 15 seasons in Los Angeles, with three All-Star births, two Gold Glove Awards and two Silver Slugger Awards with the team. He got two votes.

Howie Kendrick, who played in 2015-16 for the Dodgers, was like Kemp on the ballot for the first time this year. Both Kemp and Kendrick fell well short of the five percent required to remain on the ballot.

Player	Year	Votes	Pct	2024 pct	PA w/LA
Andruw Jones	9th	333	78.4%	66.2%	238
Chase Utley	3rd	251	59.1%	39.8%	1,246
Manny Ramírez	10th	165	38.8%	34.3%	892
Bobby Abreu	7th	131	30.8%	19.5%	230
Jimmy Rollins	5th	108	25.4%	18.0%	563
Cole Hamels	1st	101	23.8%	n/a	n/a
Matt Kemp	1st	2	0.5%	n/a	5,002
Howie Kendrick	1st	0	0.0%	n/a	1,038

Mets third baseman David Wright was on a Hall of Fame trajectory before spinal stenosis derailed his career during his age-32 season in 2015.

MLB Hall of Fame voters are seemingly starting to understand Wright's greatness.

After getting 6.2 percent of the vote in 2024 during his first year on the ballot (5.0 percent is necessary to remain on the ballot), Wright got a small increase to 8.1 percent in 2025.

This year, Wright got another decent bump up.

Wright was at 19.6 percent of the vote on Tuesday afternoon (via Ryan Thibodaux's ballot tracker),and wound up on 14.8 percent of the ballots (63 votes) when the results were revealed.

From his rookie season in 2004 through 2013, Wright slashed .301/.382/.506 with 222 home runs, 345 doubles, 876 RBI, 853 runs scored, and 183 stolen bases. 

During that span, he was a seven-time All-Star, won two Gold Gloves, and finished top 10 in MVP voting four times.

After being diagnosed with spinal stenosis in 2015 -- a chronic ailment that stemmed from a back injury Wright suffered on a slide in 2011 -- Wright played just 77 games until his retirement after the 2018 season.

But for all intents and purposes, Wright's career ended in 2016. The two games he played in 2018 were so he could go out on his own terms in front of the Citi Field fans.

Wright's jump on the ballot is similar to the one being enjoyed by Dustin Pedroia, who received just 11.9 percent in 2025 before getting 20.7 percent of the vote this year.

Like Wright, Pedroia's career was shortened due to injury -- he suffered a bad knee injury in 2017 during his age-33 season and played just nine more games before retiring.

Pedroia amassed 51.8 WAR during his career, while Wright's WAR was 49.1.

A legitimate Hall of Fame case can be made for Wright, especially when compared to some of the players who have gained election in recent decades -- including Harold Baines (38.8 WAR, 121 OPS+) and Jim Rice (47.7 WAR, 128 OPS+). Wright's career OPS+ was 133.

Wright has seven more years to gain election, unless he falls below five percent of the voting percentage on any given year.

The Baseball Hall of Fame announced two players were elected to the Hall by the Baseball Writers Association of America Tuesday evening.

Carlos Beltrán played 20 MLB seasons with the Royals, Mets, Yankees, Cardinals, Rangers, Giants and Astros, with his most success coming with the Royals and Mets. He hit 435 home runs, had 312 stolen bases and 2,725 hits, and posted 70.0 bWAR. It should be noted that Beltrán was considered to be a prominent part of the Astros sign-stealing scandal in 2017, his final MLB season. I am hoping the Hall will note that on his plaque. Despite the scandal, Beltrán received 84.2 percent of the BBWAA vote.

Andruw Jones played 17 big-league seasons, 12 of those with the Braves, where he became known as one of the best defensive center fielders ever, winning 10 Gold Glove Awards. He hit 434 home runs, scored 1,204 runs and had 152 stolen bases, and accumulated 62.7 bWAR. He played in two World Series (1996 — hit .400 there at age 19 — and 1999). Jones received 78.4 percent of the BBWAA vote.

Chase Utley, who was thought to be a possible inductee this year, had 59.1 percent of the vote.

These two players will join Jeff Kent, who was elected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee in December, and be inducted in Cooperstown this summer. The induction ceremony will take place Sunday, July 26 and will be televised live on MLB Network at 12:30 p.m. CT.

Carlos Beltrán will be recognized this summer for one Hall of a career.

The former Mets outfielder is headed to Cooperstown after it was announced Tuesday night he was voted into the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Also elected was Andruw Jones who, like Beltrán, spent part of his career with the Yankees.

Beltrán, in his fourth year on the ballot, received 84.2 percent of the vote. A candidate needs to reach the 75 percent threshold for induction. Jones, in his ninth year on the ballot, received 78.4 percent of the vote.

“From being on the ballot the previous years you know how the process works,” Beltrán said. “This year I felt that hopefully it was going to happen. Thank God it did happen.”

Beltrán told The Post last year that he planned to wear a Mets cap on his plaque if he was elected to the Hall of Fame. He would join Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza as the only players representing the Mets in Cooperstown.

On Tuesday he stopped short of officially committing to representing the Mets.

“There’s no doubt that my best years in baseball are with two teams, the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets,” Beltrán said. “That’s a decision I will have to sit down with my family … I really enjoyed my time in New York. Now, I work as an advisor for the Mets, so there’s a lot of weight wearing the New York cap.”  

Additionally, Mets officials have discussed retiring Beltrán’s No. 15 this season, according to a source, but logistically it might not fit given that the club already has a Mets Hall of Fame ceremony and 40th anniversary celebration of the 1986 World Series-winning team planned. And the idea of planning a number retirement ceremony for 2027 isn’t ideal given the possibility games will be canceled by a lockout.

Beltrán’s ascent to the Hall of Fame may have been slowed after he was implicated in the Astros sign-stealing scheme. As part of the fallout, Beltrán resigned as Mets manager after only 77 days on the job before even managing his first game. He later returned to the organization as a special assistant.

“On behalf of the entire organization we are thrilled to congratulate Carlos on receiving the highest honor in baseball,” Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. “One of the most dynamic players ever to wear a Mets uniform, Carlos combined rare power and speed with elite defense, setting a standard of excellence that endures today. Beyond his achievements on the field, his leadership, insight and presence continue to shape our organization. It is a proud moment for Carlos, his family and Mets fans everywhere.”

Over a 20-year major league career, Beltrán hit 435 homers and was selected to nine All-Star teams. He won three Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers. Beltrán played for the Mets from 2005-11 after beginning his career with the Royals and Astros. Beltrán’s resume includes a 1.021 OPS in 65 postseason games with 16 homers and 42 RBIs.

Jones won 10 Gold Gloves as the premier defensive center fielder of his era and hit 434 homers over a 17-year major league career. Jones was selected to five All-Star teams. He spent most of his career with the Braves and appeared in two World Series. Ken Griffey Jr. and Willie Mays are the only other center fielders to have won as many Gold Gloves.

“It’s hard to compare yourself to those guys, they are such great baseball players,” Jones said. “I wanted to be myself. I wanted to go out there and be the best at my position and help my team win. I want to thank all the organizations that gave me a chance to continue to play the game that I love.”

Chase Utley finished third in this year’s balloting with 59.1 percent of the vote. Andy Pettitte (48.5 percent), Félix Hernández (46.1 percent) and Alex Rodriguez (40 percent) were next three behind Utley. All have remaining years on the ballot.

Jeff Kent, who played five seasons for the Mets, will be enshrined into the Hall of Fame along with Beltrán and Jones. The former second baseman Kent was elected to Cooperstown last month by the Contemporary Era Baseball Committee.

On performance alone, Carlos Beltran was an obvious Hall of Famer, one of the best all-around center fielders in baseball history. 

That he had to wait four years after becoming eligible to get enough votes for election was not an oversight but a clear consequence of his role in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal in 2017. 

In truth, that’s not an outrageous price to pay for such a blatant form of cheating, one that likely played a significant role in winning a championship and, when later revealed, sparked bitter public anger from opposing players, managers, and executives that, in some cases, still lingers. 

Of which Yankees GM Brian Cashman, for one, has left no doubt. 

Still, as someone who withheld a vote for Beltran in his first year on the ballot, as an acknowledgment of the seriousness of the sign-stealing scandal, I was glad to see that the former Met was voted into the Hall of Fame this time around, as announced by the Baseball Writers Association of America on Tuesday night. 

I’ve been a Beltran voter for the last three years, and maybe it took longer for other baseball writers to get past the stain of the scandal, but it was time. He has paid a significant price for his role in the scheme, losing his job as manager of the Mets in January of 2020 before he ever actually managed a game, and that could turn out to be his only such opportunity. 

Time will tell there, but certainly these are better days for Beltran. He has mended fences with the Mets’ organization after something of an acrimonious end to his playing days in Queens, as he was hired last year as a special assistant to David Stearns in the Mets’ front office. 

And perhaps time has healed old wounds as well with the fan base, which never seemed to fully embrace Beltran for the spectacular talent he was, in part because of his infamous take of the strike-three curve ball from Adam Wainwright to end the 2006 NLCS with the bases loaded. 

Beltran himself recently indicated as much, telling MLB.com he felt a “disconnection” with the fans during his seven years playing with the Mets, perhaps in part because of his quiet nature, but now feels embraced by the organization, to the point where he’ll likely have a Mets’ cap on his plaque in Cooperstown. 

For while he broke in with the Kansas City Royals in 1998, playing his first six seasons there, and played with a total of seven teams during his 20-year career, Beltran did have some of his best years with the Mets and now seems to feel good about his role in the organization as well.

“I see myself as a Met,” he told MLB.com.

If Beltran does go into the Hall as a Met, he’ll be only the third player to do so, joining Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza. 

As such, he’ll be recognized for a brilliant career whose outstanding center field defense, combined with his impactful offense, left no doubt about his HOF qualifications. 

Most notably, Beltran is one of five players in baseball history with at least 500 doubles, 400 home runs, and 300 stolen bases. The others are Willie Mays, Andre Dawson, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez. 

In addition, Beltran is one of baseball’s best postseason hitters, putting up a 1.021 OPS over 65 games that included 16 home runs, eight of them in that unforgettable 2004 October with the Houston Astros that led to him signing a $119 million free-agent contract with the Mets. 

Also worth noting, Beltran has the best stolen-base percentage of any player in history in the live ball era (since 1920) with at least 200 steals. He stole 312 bases while being caught 48 times, an 86.4 percent success rate that is slightly higher than Trea Turner, Mike Trout, and Tim Raines at the top of the list. 

“That stolen base percentage speaks to how smart Carlos was as a player,” former Mets manager Terry Collins once told me. “He just had a feel for the game that you couldn’t teach. His instincts were almost never wrong. He could read situations. He could read pitchers. He could see things pitchers were doing to tip a pitch that other guys couldn’t see. It was all part of what made him such a special player.”

Beltran will always be one of Collins’ favorite players, in part because he went out of his way to help the new manager establish himself with the Mets in 2010, even volunteering to move from center field to right field at one point for the good of the ballclub.

“He was willing to do whatever would help us win,” Collins told me. “When a guy of his stature is willing to do that, it makes it a lot easier for the manager to get other guys to buy in. I’ll always appreciate how much he helped me.”

As such, Collins took offense when Beltran was singled out as the ringleader of sorts in the sign-stealing scandal with the Astros, as the only player named in MLB’s investigative report.

"Carlos was an easy scapegoat because he was retiring that year,” Collins said recently. “I’ll just be thrilled when he’s finally in the Hall of Fame because he’s very deserving, both professionally and personally.”

Beltran is in now, and certainly Collins’ sentiment is shared by plenty of Mets fans. It likely was always a minority that couldn’t let go of the Wainwright strikeout, albeit a vocal minority, and as the years have passed, there has been a growing sense that most fans are happy to recognize that Beltran is an all-time great Met. 

He was already scheduled to be inducted into the Mets’ Hall of Fame in 2026. Now he’ll have his day in Cooperstown this year as well. For Beltran, times indeed have officially changed. 

The results of the BBWAA’s voting process for the 2026 Hall of Fame Class has been revealed and it’s now official: Cooperstown beckons for Andruw Jones. The center fielder from Curaçao is now the latest member of those glorious ‘90s Atlanta Braves teams to earn a spot in the hallowed circle of Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Here’s a link to the full results. Jones earned 333 votes, which placed him on 78.4 percent of all ballots and that was enough to get him induction into the Hall of Fame.

Welcome to Cooperstown, @andruwjones25!https://t.co/yM4vo4J2jipic.twitter.com/G5T1nBR9s4

— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) January 20, 2026

Jones made his MLB debut at the age of 19 and proceeded to eventually build a reputation for being one of the most dynamic center fielders of his era of baseball. Jones finished his career with a slash line of .254/.337/.486 with a wOBA of .352 and a wRC+ of 111. However, his defense was his main calling card, as he made stunning catches that defied what was believed could be possible out of a center fielder and made tough catches look routine as well.

While Andruw Jones certainly had to wait and steadily gain ground for his eventual induction into Cooperstown, he was able to eventually pull off the trick during this round of voting. It won’t come down to the absolute wire for Andruw Jones, as he’ll end up making it with a year of eligibility left remaining after this one. While some objectively shameful off-the-field issues and the fact that he didn’t exactly age gracefully may have been held against him when it came to his Hall of Fame case, it was his performance and overall reputation as a center fielder during his prime (which he spent entirely with the Braves) that was enough to win out and eventually gain him induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Andruw Jones will be joined by Carlos Beltrán in this year’s Hall of Fame class, as they’re the only two who earned induction from this year’s ballot. Jones will also join Manager Bobby Cox, third baseman Chipper Jones, first baseman Fred McGriff, and pitchers Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz as Baseball Hall of Fame members who were present on that ‘96 Braves team that came two wins away from winning it all in back-to-back fashion. A special player now joins a special crew.

Dodgers utility man Ryan Fitzgerald cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday, per MLB transaction logs. This keeps Fitzgerald around as a potential depth option on the position-player side, though he is currently not on the 40-man roster.

Fitzgerald was claimed by the Dodgers off waivers from the Twins on January 9, augmenting the team’s position-player depth, which at the time was thin. But in the days since then the Dodgers signed both Andy Ibáñez and Kyle Tucker, the latter to a whopping $240 million, four-year contract that hasn’t yet been finalized.

When the deal for Ibáñez was made official on January 13, the 40-man roster casualty was Fitzgerald, who was designated for assignment.

Fitzgerald made his major league debut last season at age 31 for the Twins, and hit .196/.302/.457 with four home runs in 53 plate appearances in 24 games. He started five games at shortstop and four each at second base and third base with Minnesota, and in his minor league career has started games at all four infield and all three outfield positions. Fitzgerald in 2025 with Triple-A Omaha hit .244/.336/.418 with 14 home runs, 17 doubles, three triples and a 119 wRC+ in 108 games.

Carlos Beltran, one of the best players in Mets history, is now a Hall-of-Famer.

After getting 57.1 percent of the vote in 2024 and 70.3 percent in 2025, Beltran made a leap this year to 84.2 percent of the vote to gain election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Beltran should have been a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, but he seemingly paid for his role in the Astros sign-stealing scandal during his first few years on the ballot.

There's an easy argument to make that Beltran should be wearing a Mets cap on his Hall of Fame plaque, which is Beltran's desire.

If Beltran's plaque does indeed have a Mets cap on it, he will become just the third player with that distinction -- joining Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza.

Three of Beltran's best six seasons (2006, 2007, 2008) came for the Mets, while his other three came for the Royals (2001, 2003) and during a season he split between the Royals and Astros (2004).

Beltran had more home runs, doubles, RBI, and runs scored with the Mets than any other team, and also had his highest OPS during the years he spent with them (excluding the 44 games he played for the Giants).

In addition, Beltran made five of his nine career All-Star appearances while in Queens.

Beltran is set to enter the Mets' team Hall of Fame during the 2026 season, and it's possible to envision his No. 15 eventually hanging in the rafters.

The former center fielder and current member of the front office, Beltran signed in Queens ahead of the 2005 season, helping to usher in a new era for the team shortly after Pedro Martinez arrived.

In 839 games with the Mets from 2005 to 2011, Beltran slashed .280/.369/.500 with 149 home runs, 208 doubles, 559 RBI, 551 runs scored, and 100 stolen bases.

Beyond his offensive prowess, Beltran was one of the best defensive center fielders in the game during his peak, and won all three of his Gold Gloves while with the Mets (2006, 2007, 2008).

During his 20-year career, Beltran hit .279/.350/.486 with 435 home runs, 565 doubles, 78 triples, 312 stolen bases, 1,587 RBI, and 1,582 runs scored.

In addition to his Mets stint (2005 to 2011), Beltran played for the Royals (1998 to 2004), Astros (2004, 2017), Giants (2011), Cardinals (2012 to 2013), Yankees (2014 to 2016), and Rangers (2016).

Come 2027, Buster Posey will be set to complete a five-year arc practically unprecedented in baseball history: From All-Star catcher to franchise president to Hall of Famer. 

Posey, who guided the San Francisco Giants to three World Series titles in the 2010s, highlights the first-year eligible players on the Baseball Hall of Fame's 2027 ballot. 

Posey had a furious finishing kick to his career, batting .304 with 18 homers, earning an All-Star nod and winning a Silver Slugger as the Giants won a franchise-record 107 games. He startled the baseball world by announcing his retirement in November 2021. Posey soon joined the Giants front office in an advisory role and was, almost equally startlingly, named its president of baseball operations in September 2024. 

He's likely the only newcomer who'll rank as an odds-on favorite, with pitcher Jon Lester, infielder Ryan Zimmerman and outfielder Brett Gardner the other notables making their ballot debut.

The top holdovers on the 2027 ballot include Chase Utley (59.1%), Andy Pettitte (48.5%) and Félix Hernández (46.1%).

2027 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot

Here's a look at the top players set to make their debut on the 2027 Hall of Fame ballot, ranked by career WAR:

• Buster Posey: 45 WAR
• Brett Gardner: 44.3
• Jon Lester: 43.4
• Ryan Zimmerman: 40.1
• Kyle Seager: 37
• Asdrúbal Cabrera: 30
• Ervin Santana: 27
• Todd Frazier: 25.8
• Josh Reddick: 25
• Jake Arrieta: 22.8
• Scott Kazmir: 22.1

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2027 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot: Buster Posey leads MLB first-timers

The Rangers Grand Letter-Writer, Chris (Foodini) Drury, has made it clear that his super scorer Breadman Panarin will be out there as a pending free agent to be dealt.

Obviously, the thinking is that by making such a fulsome deal, the Rangers will obtain a juicy return, suitable for chasing rainbows and pennies from Heaven.

But wait: shouldn't Drury put his Hope Diamond in storage? What happens if Bready gets toasted with the kind of injury that has Adam Fox somewhere in mothballs?

As Sean McCaffrey points out in Blue Collar Blue Shirt, playing Panarin nowadays, hockey-wise, worse than walking a mile on hot coals.

"It feels like the Rangers are begging for their greatest asset to be victimized by some sort of season-ending injury," says McCaffrey. "If that happens, it would nullify any chances Drury would have to trade him."

Excellent point. Hence the question, should the Rangers give Bready a pre-trade sabbatical? Yes or no, please!

We have already had several incredibly close voting results in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings, but the race for spot #7 was by far the most ridiculous.

The longer I left the poll open, the more confusing it got. At various points Tuesday, each of Chase Petty, Tyson Lewis, and Steele Hall were the top vote-getters, though it was never more than a two-vote advantage separating the three of them at any point. I let it go long in hopes that someone would run away with the lead, but the opposite ended up happening – at 3:00 PM MT, each had exactly 44 votes cast for them in a three-way tie.

I’d saved my vote, though, and cast it at the last…for Steele Hall, who takes home the #7 spot in this year’s CPR by the slimmest of margins.

Hall, the 1st round pick of the Cincinnati Reds in the 2025 MLB Draft (9th overall), reclassified last year in what was originally slated to be just his junior year at Hewitt-Trussville High School in Alabama, and as a result just turned 18 years of age on July 24th. The Alabama Mr. Baseball projects as a true shortstop defensively with perhaps the best speed in the draft class, though, and the Reds selected him 9th in 2025 because they’d originally scouted him as a guy who – if he stayed in the 2026 Draft as originally planned – had a chance to develop enough to be the #1 overall pick.

He’s already added muscle, as ones do at this time (and with the pressure and direction of being a nine-figure signee of a professional sports team), and the sky is hopefully the limit for him. It’s a testament to the depth in the system right now that he’s only checking in at #7 on the CPR, though it’s going to be quite some time before we see him at the big league level.

Congrats to Steele!