Philadelphia Phillies fans across the globe should be feeling a little lighter after Tuesday’s announcement of which players from baseball’s past will be commemorated in Cooperstown.
While there weren’t any Phillies elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame this year, one of the franchise’s most coveted players, Chase Utley, in just his third year of eligibility, received 251 votes equating to 59.1 percent, the closest to the necessary 75 percent mark.
If all goes well, Utley could be elected into the Hall of Fame as early as next year. If he makes it in this soon into his 10 years of eligibility, another world-famous Phillie could see his name among the select few who receive the nod to be coveted and immortalized among baseball’s greatest heroes.
Phillies icon Chase Utley's Hall of Fame election could be Jimmy Rollins’ key to Cooperstown
Former Phillies shortstop, and Utley's longtime double play partner, Jimmy Rollins has also seen his name among those in consideration for the Hall of Fame, and in his fifth year on the ballot, remains towards the middle of the pack.
With some players, like Manny Ramirez, in their 10th and final year of eligibility, there is a chance Rollins’ remaining five years on the ballot could see a push for the switch-hitting shortstop to make it. With 108 votes and 25.4 percent of the vote going his way, Rollins ranked ninth on the ballot.
"They don't just have a peak, they've got a bulk of a career where they were not good, they were great."
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) January 21, 2026
BK, @jaysonst and @jonmorosi expand on the Hall of Fame cases for Chase Utley, David Wright and Jimmy Rollins. pic.twitter.com/SWhEzgKedP
However, if Utley is elected as early as next year, he could potentially take a page out of former New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia and advocate for his longtime partner and teammate’s place in the Hall.
Sabathia was elected into the Hall of Fame in 2025 on his first ballot. Very shortly after the celebrations concluded, the southpaw went to work advocating for his fellow rotation mate Andy Pettitte, who is in his eighth year of eligibility, to be inducted shortly after him.
And sometimes advocacy works! Despite missing the mark again this year, Pettitte finished fourth in balloting, behind Utley. After a year of campaigning from his newly honored teammate Sabathia, Pettitte’s consideration rose by more than 20 percentage points, ending this year’s vote with 48.5 percent.
Rollins was just as great as Utley, if not better, and was just as consistently clutch, both at the plate and in the field. The two of them should be right alongside one another, where all the greatest players of all time go, Cooperstown.
If even MLB Network agrees that the two of them are comparable enough to be inducted together, let's take a look at some of Rollins' numbers to help prove his case. Despite Utley's higher per-season WAR, OPS, and OPS+, Rollins had just as substantial a resume, even if it doesn't look as "consistent" as Utley's. With 17 seasons in the majors, Rollins' durability and longevity should help pad his case.
In his career, Rollins played more games (2,275) than Utley (1,937), had 10,240 plate appearances, 470 stolen bases, three All-Star appearances, and four Gold Gloves, was voted the 2007 NL MVP, and won a championship (which he earned right alongside Utley, whose only championship win is also the 2008 World Series).
While there's never a guarantee, with how quickly Utley has climbed the rankings, it's safe to project that in the following years he will be the top, if not one of the top two vote-getters. As many Phillies fans know, wherever Utley goes Rollins is not far behind. It only makes sense that Rollins' numbers, and in turn his case, will grow with the reception of Utley's successes whenever he's elected into the Hall of Fame.