It's almost time to learn which former MLB players will receive their invitation to Cooperstown. With the voting results for the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 set to be revealed on Tuesday evening, one former Phillies player is on track to hear his name called in an election that has the potential to be a historic one.
The Phillies have four former players on the ballot this year, but only Billy Wagner is tracking toward election on this ballot. The former Phillies closer has the votes right now to earn induction in his 10th and final year of eligibility. The other three Phillies on the ballot, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Bobby Abreu, will all fall short.
Players must appear on 75 percent of ballots to gain entry to the Hall of Fame, and Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame ballot tracker shows that Wagner has received votes on 84.6 percent of 190 ballots as of 9 a.m. ET Tuesday morning.
Former Phillies closer Billy Wagner projected for Hall of Fame in historic election year
Typically, players' percentages drop after the unknown ballots are released in the final voting results, but Wagner is still in a good position. Jason Sardell's simulations show that Wagner will likely stay above the 75 percent threshold, with his final total predicted to finish at 82 percent.
Wagner is joined by Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and perhaps Carlos Beltrán as this year's potential inductees. With 100 percent of the known votes, Suzuki's election could be one for the history books. Only one other player, legendary Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, has ever been elected unanimously, per MLB.com's Manny Randhawa.
If the results pan out, Wagner will join Philly icon Dick Allen, who is already guaranteed his spot in the Hall after being elected by the Classic Era Committee in December. However, Wagner won't go into Cooperstown as a Phillie — that honor will be reserved for the Houston Astros — as he only spent two seasons in Philadelphia. Wagner played from 1995 to 2003 in an Astros uniform before spending the 2004 and 2005 seasons with the Phillies.
Over his two years in Philadelphia, Wagner compiled an 8-3 record with 59 saves, a 1.86 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP. He was named to the All-Star team in his second season as a Phillie, the fourth of seven times in his 16-year MLB career.
He went on to pitch for the New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves after Philadelphia. In 903 career innings, Wagner posted a 2.31 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, a 24 fWAR and ranks eighth all-time with 422 saves.
The Class of 2025 National Baseball Hall of Fame results will be announced live at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB.TV and the MLB App. If Wagner is successful, he will be inducted during the 2025 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Sunday, July 27, at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown.