Ichiro Denied Unanimous Vote, Two Others Inducted Into MLB Hall of Fame

The 2025 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame induction class is set, and there are few surprises. Outside of one unnamed voter who denied an obviously deserving candidate a universal vote.

The three inductees included legendary Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia and closer Billy Wagner.

Ichiro and Sabathia were widely expected to be voted in on their first try, while Billy Wagner had to wait for his final year of eligibility on the ballot to finally make it to Cooperstown. Not terribly surprising overall, but Ichiro's election came with a bizarre missing vote.

Peoria, Ariz. - Former Seattle Mariners player Ichiro Suzuki reacts during a Spring Training workout at Peoria Sports Complex on Feb. 15, 2024. Photo: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Ichiro, Sabatha, Wagner Have Wildly Different Hall Of Fame Cases

Suzuki was undoubtedly a deserving Hall of Famer, and particularly deserving of a unanimous vote. 

Consistently one of the best players in baseball after coming to MLB from Japan ahead of his age-27 season, Suzuki stole more than 500 bases in his career with a .311 batting average. Playing well into his mid-40's, he also accumulated more than 3,000 hits, a near guarantee for induction. Ichiro was also known for his exceptional defense and throwing arm, and set the single-season record for hits with 262.

That record will almost certainly never be challenged, considering the wildly different hitting environment and increase in pitching velocity from when Suzuki played.

Sabathia too, had a less deserving but still solid case for induction. 

While he was rarely spectacular; his career-best ERA was 2.70 in 2008, Sabathia was a breed of pitcher that effectively no longer exists. From 2001-2013, he pitched no less than 180 innings, putting up seven consecutive years of 200+ innings from 2007-2013. Finishing with nearly 3,100 career strikeouts and 251 wins, numbers that are going to be nearly impossible in the era of max effort pitching.

Wagner was his era's Josh Hader, someone who was nearly un-hittable in relief, including a phenomenal 3.6 fWAR 1999 season. Striking out nearly 15 hitters per nine, with a 1.57 ERA and 39 saves for the Houston Astros. 

It's notoriously difficult to value relief pitchers; throwing fewer innings is less valuable, but the level of dominance Wagner achieved in his peak made him a close call for induction into the Hall. His 422 saves are the eighth most all time, and comparing his career ERA to other relievers shows how he excelled relative to his peers. Only Mariano Rivera had a higher ERA+ (stat comparing ERA to the average pitcher of that season/career) among retired closers. 

The big story remains which Hall of Fame voter was bad enough at his job to not make Ichiro a unanimous inductee. If he isn't good enough for that honor, who is? Guess we'll find out when Albert Pujols hits the ballot in 2028.