Breaking: Dodgers Legends Dominate the 2025…
The National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot unveiled its 2025 ballot on Monday, headlined by Ichiro Suzuki, who will undoubtedly sail into Cooperstown on his first try. No, he won’t be dinged for no longer holding the MLB record for most stolen bases in a season by a player born in Japan.
Also notable on this year’s ballot are three former Dodgers on their first try at Hall of Fame eligibility. Catcher Russell Martin has the strongest ties to the team, having been drafted by the Dodgers and played his first five seasons with Los Angeles, then finished up with the Dodgers in the final season of his career.
Martin played for four different teams in his career (Dodgers, Yankees, Pirates, Blue Jays) and made the postseason 10 times in his 14 seasons, including at least twice each with all four teams. Jay Jaffe’s JAWS system rated Martin as the 28th-best catcher of all-time, though below the established Hall of Fame standard at the position.
Hanley Ramírez, who played two and a half seasons with the Dodgers and received MVP votes in 2013 despite being limited by injuries to just 86 games, is on his first ballot. The longtime infielder hit 271 home runs in his 15-year career, won Rookie of the Year and a batting title with the Marlins, made three All-Star teams and captured two Silver Slugger Awards.
The other first-ballot former Dodger is outfielder Curtis Granderson, who hit 344 home runs and accumulated 47.2 rWAR during his 16 seasons. He was acquired by the Dodgers in a waiver trade down the stretch in August 2017, a transaction that doesn’t even exist under current MLB rules.
Five former Dodgers are included among the 14 returnees to the Hall of Fame ballot. Andruw Jones is the headliner of this set, in his eighth year on the ballot. Jones continued his steady climb by getting 61.6 percent of the vote on the 2024 ballot, and he has three more tries to close the gap to the 75 percent required for election.
Chase Utley is in his second year on the ballot after receiving 28.8 percent in his first go around last year. Other former Dodgers on the ballot are Manny Ramírez (his ninth year on the ballot, got 32.5 percent in 2024), Bobby Abreu (sixth year, 14.8 percent in 2024), and Jimmy Rollins (sixth year, 14.8 percent in 2024).
In all, 28 players are on the 2025 Hall of Fame ballot. Among newcomers, CC Sabathia has a very strong case of Cooperstown, and other first-timers include Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernández and former MVP Dustin Pedroia.
Closer Billy Wagner is the other player most likely to be inducted to Cooperstown this year. He got 73.8 percent on the 2024 ballot, just five votes shy. This is the 10th and final year on the ballot for Wagner.
Ballots from BBWAA members are due by December 31, and the results will be announced on Thursday, January 21 in televised event beginning at 3 p.m. PT on MLB Network.
