Mets’ Billy Wagner hopes for Hall of Fame call in final year of eligibility; Carlos Beltrán also in the mix

Last year, 5 votes were each that separated Billy Wagner from shot immortality.

The erstwhile Mets person barely missed the cutoff for the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024, appearing connected 73.8% of the ballots. Induction requires 75%.

Wagner received 284 votes erstwhile helium needed 289.

It was a peculiarly brutal stroke considering Wagner was successful his ninth twelvemonth of eligibility. Players get 10 years connected the Hall of Fame ballot, making Tuesday night’s Class of 2025 unveiling a make-or-break announcement for Wagner.

He and different erstwhile Mets star, ex-teammate Carlos Beltrán, are among the much uncertain cases connected this year’s ballot.

As of Monday afternoon, Wagner appeared connected 84.2% of the 172 ballots that had been publically released, according to Ryan Thibodaux’s ballot tracker. That meant Wagner would request to beryllium included connected 67.0% of the remaining 220 ballots to beryllium inducted successful his last twelvemonth of eligibility.

Beltran, meanwhile, had received 80.3% of the vote, meaning helium would request to look connected 70.3% of the remaining ballots. Beltran — who received 57.1% of the ballot past twelvemonth — is successful his 3rd twelvemonth of eligibility, truthful induction is apt coming sooner alternatively than aboriginal for the erstwhile five-tool halfway fielder.

The percentages connected Thibodaux’s tracker thin to beryllium a fewer ticks higher than the last number. Last year, Wagner appeared connected 77.8% of the nationalist ballots — 4 points higher than his existent amount.

But with Wagner having a 9.2% cushion done astir 50% of the votes, momentum appears to beryllium with the erstwhile flame-throwing left-hander.

Wagner pitched to a 2.31 ERA, a 0.998 WHIP and 1,196 strikeouts successful 903.0 innings implicit 16 MLB seasons with the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Mets, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves from 1995-2010.

Wagner is people right-handed, but helium began throwing from the near broadside aft breaking his close limb doubly arsenic a child. Equipped with a fastball helium erstwhile dialed up to 103.1 mph, Wagner recorded 422 saves, which fertile eighth successful MLB past and 2nd among lefties.

But Hall of Fame voters person agelong been stingy with relievers.

Only 8 relievers are successful the Hall, and 1 of them, Dennis Eckersley, started 361 of his 1,071 appearances. Hoyt Wilhelm wasn’t voted successful until his eighth clip connected the ballot, portion it took Bruce Sutter 13 tries, backmost erstwhile players could stay connected the summons up to 15 years.

Lee Smith, whose 478 saves fertile 3rd successful MLB history, was not voted successful by the Baseball Writers Association of America during his eligibility play from 2003-17. Instead, Lee was inducted by the Today’s Game Era Committee successful 2019.

But adjacent among Hall of Famers, Wagner’s stats basal out.

Among each pitchers to propulsion astatine slightest 900 innings since 1920, Wagner’s 2.31 ERA is the 2nd lowest, down lone Mariano Rivera’s 2.21. No 1 else’s ERA is nether 2.50.

Wagner’s strikeout complaint of 11.92 per 9 innings ranks 13th successful MLB history.

And Wagner’s 24.0 WAR (wins supra replacement) is comparable to the 25.9 compiled by erstwhile San Diego Padres person Trevor Hoffman, who was a third-ballot Hall of Fame enactment successful 2018.

A seven-time All-Star, Wagner spent astir of 4 seasons with the Mets from 2006-09, pitching to a 2.37 ERA portion nailing down 101 saves.

“It’s tough. I hatred it,” Wagner told The Athletic past week of his Hall of Fame wait. “It’s conscionable not been a precise amusive experience, particularly erstwhile it comes down to your 10th and last ballot. It’s not going to beryllium pleasant. It’s a grind, but successful a mates of days, this volition beryllium implicit — 1 mode oregon the other, bully oregon bad.”

Beltrán, meanwhile, deed .279 with 435 location runs, 1,587 RBI, 1,582 runs, an .837 OPS and 312 stolen bases implicit 20 MLB seasons with the Kansas City Royals, Astros, Mets, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Yankees and Texas Rangers from 1998-2017.

Seven of those seasons came with the Mets, who signed the switch-hitting Beltrán earlier the 2005 play to a franchise-record $119 cardinal contract. With the Mets, Beltrán earned 4 of his 9 All-Star selections and won each of his 3 Gold Gloves.

Carlos Beltrán spent 7 of his 20 MLB seasons with the Mets. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Beltrán is one of lone 5 players successful MLB history with astatine slightest 500 doubles, 400 location runs and 300 stolen bases.

His 86.4% occurrence complaint connected stolen bases is the champion of immoderate subordinate since 1920, portion his 67.4 WAR ranks 10th ever among halfway fielders. Next up connected that database is different Hall of Fame campaigner successful Andruw Jones, who, done 172 nationalist ballots, had received 72.1% of the ballot successful his eighth twelvemonth of eligibility.

Complicating Beltrán’s candidacy is his transportation to the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal. Beltrán was the lone subordinate named successful MLB’s probe into the scandal, which the league completed successful January 2020. The Mets, who had conscionable hired Beltrán arsenic their manager, parted ways with him earlier helium ever managed a game.

Beltrán returned to the Mets successful 2023 arsenic a peculiar assistant.

His and Wagner’s Hall of Fame cases are among the astir intriguing during a twelvemonth successful which Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia are expected to beryllium first-ballot selections.

Former Mets skipper David Wright appeared connected 11.5% of the archetypal 172 ballots to go public.