Wagner narrowly misses HOF in 9th year of eligibility; Wright stays on ballot

NEW YORK -- Billy Wagner’s bid to become the first left-handed reliever in Cooperstown will have to wait, if it happens at all. In his ninth year of eligibility on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot, Wagner fell shy of the 75 percent of votes needed for induction, as did every other former Met on the ballot -- a sizeable group that included Carlos Beltrán and David Wright.

Wagner, who served as the Mets’ closer from 2006-09, received 73.8 percent of the BBWAA vote to fall five votes short of induction. The Class of 2024 is Adrián Beltré, Joe Mauer and Todd Helton.

? 2024 Hall of Fame election results

Candidates need 75 percent of the vote for enshrinement through what is generally considered the front door to Cooperstown. Wagner, who also pitched for the Astros, Phillies, Red Sox and Braves during a 16-year career, has one year of eligibility remaining to reach that threshold. He had received 68.1 percent of the vote last January, up from 10.5 percent in his first year on the ballot back in 2016.

Players tend to receive a bump in their final year of eligibility, and if that happens for Wagner, he could still become the ninth primary reliever enshrined in Cooperstown and the first left-hander, joining Hoyt Wilhelm, Goose Gossage, Bruce Sutter, Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley, Lee Smith, Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera.

? Complete 2024 Hall of Fame voting results

Much like his contemporaries Hoffman and Rivera, Wagner was a standout closer for nearly the entirety of his career. His style, though, was different. A pure flamethrower, Wagner threw in the mid-90s and became the model for current-day relievers, striking out a record 11.9 batters per nine innings for his career.

Following nine seasons in Houston and two in Philadelphia, Wagner became part of the Mets’ spending spree in the mid-2000s, signing a four-year, $43 million contract after the 2005 season. Largely successful in Queens, he saved 101 games with a 2.40 ERA from 2006-08 before undergoing Tommy John surgery and missing most of the 2009 season.

The next year, Wagner delivered one of the finest performances of his career for the Braves at age 38, but he opted to retire after the season to spend more time with his family. The decision to walk away at the top of his game made Wagner’s Cooperstown case a borderline one, leaving him with a lower WAR than any Hall of Fame reliever. That, along with a brief and unsuccessful playoff resume, has cost Wagner over his first nine years on the ballot.

? Complete Hall of Fame coverage

Beltrán, likewise, is 0-for-2 in his first two years of eligibility, though he hopes his wait for induction won’t be nearly as long as Wagner’s. This year, the longtime Mets center fielder received 57.1 percent of the vote, up from 46.5 percent last January. One of the most accomplished all-around center fielders of his generation, Beltrán hit 435 home runs, stole 312 bases and won three Gold Gloves over a 20-year career. But he has struggled to gain early Hall of Fame support in part because of his involvement in the 2017 Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, which cost him his job as Mets manager.

Beltrán has eight more years on the ballot.

Also of note Tuesday was the performance of Wright, who received 6.2 percent of the vote in his first year of eligibility. On a Hall of Fame arc throughout the first decade of his career, Wright missed significant time due to back, neck and shoulder injuries during his 30s. As such, he did not rack up the types of counting stats that players need to enter the Hall of Fame.

Still, because Wright eclipsed the 5 percent threshold needed to remain on the ballot, he will be eligible again next year.

Other first-timers with Mets ties, including José Reyes and Bartolo Colón, did not receive the 5 percent necessary to remain on the ballot. One other former Met, Gary Sheffield, fell short of the 75 percent needed for induction in his 10th and final year on the BBWAA ballot, despite his 509 career home runs. His next opportunity to enter the Hall will be through the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee in December 2025.