Cooperstown will soon welcome a trio of outstanding left-handed players, each representing distinct aspects of baseball excellence: a relentless hitter, a reliable starting pitcher, and an exceptional relief pitcher whose skills shine in any time period.

On Tuesday night, Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia were inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame, with Suzuki receiving overwhelming support, while Billy Wagner made the most of his last chance on the ballot, securing 325 of 394 votes to surpass the required 75% for induction.

Suzuki came close to joining Mariano Rivera—who typically pitched just one inning in most games—as only the second player to achieve a unanimous vote for the Hall. He garnered 393 out of 394 votes for an impressive 99.746%, placing him just behind shortstop Derek Jeter, who took in 99.748% in 2020, marking the highest percentage for a position player in Hall of Fame history.

Wagner’s vote total of 82.5% resolved the only real suspense of the evening, especially since he had fallen just five votes short in 2024 with 73.8% of the ballots. This year, the Hall of Fame ensures a trio of inductees through the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in July.

They are set to attract a lively and international gathering.

Suzuki makes history as the first Japanese player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He achieved impressive Cooperstown statistics despite starting his MLB career at the age of 27. He racked up 3,089 hits in the majors and a total of 4,286 when combining both Major League and Japan’s top league, along with winning two batting titles. He began his career with an astonishing run of 10 consecutive seasons with over 200 hits, and in 2004, during his fourth season, he set a record for the most hits in a single season with 262.

Showmanship and subtle flair marked Suzuki’s approach to the game, while Sabathia was known for his rugged determination, leading his teams to victories while shutting out opponents on the scoreboard. Over his 19-year career, Sabathia won 251 games and achieved a 3.74 career ERA with an impressive 62.3 WAR.

Induction day in Cooperstown on July 27 will also feature veterans’ committee selections Dick Allen and Dave Parker alongside Suzuki, Sabathia, and Wagner.

2025 Baseball Hall of Fame voting results

• Ichiro Suzuki: 99.7% (first year)
• CC Sabathia: 86.8% (first year)
• Billy Wagner: 82.5% (10th and final year)
• Carlos Beltrán: 70.3% (third year)
• Andruw Jones: 66.2% (eighth year)
• Chase Utley: 39.8% (second year)
• Álex Rodríguez: 37.1% (fourth year)
• Manny Ramírez: 34.3% (ninth year)
• Andy Pettitte: 27.9% (seventh year)
• Félix Hernández: 20.6% (first year)
• Bobby Abreu: 19.5% (sixth year)
• Jimmy Rollins: 18% (fourth year)
• Omar Vizquel: 17.8% (eighth year)
• Dustin Pedroia: 11.9% (first year)
• Mark Buehrle: 11.4% (fifth year)
• Francisco Rodríguez: 10.2% (third year)
• David Wright: 8.1% (second year)
• Torii Hunter: 5.1% (fifth year)
• Ian Kinsler: 2.5% (first year)
• Russell Martin: 2.3% (first year)
• Brian McCann: 1.8% (first year)
• Troy Tulowitzki: 1% (first year)
• Curtis Granderson: 0.8% (first year)
• Adam Jones: 0.8% (first year)
• Carlos González: 0.5% (first year)
• Hanley Ramírez: 0% (first year)
• Fernando Rodney: 0% (first year)
• Ben Zobrist: 0% (first year)

2025 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot

• Billy Wagner (10th year on ballot)
• Andruw Jones (8th year)
• Carlos Beltrán (3rd year)
• Alex Rodriguez (4th year)
• Manny Ramirez (9th year)
• Chase Utley (2nd year)
• Omar Vizquel (8th year)
• Bobby Abreu (6th year)
• Jimmy Rollins (4th year)
• Andy Pettitte (7th year)
• Mark Buehrle (5th year)
• Francisco Rodríguez (3rd year)
• Torii Hunter (5th year)
• David Wright (2nd year)
• Carlos González (1st year)
• Curtis Granderson (1st year)
• Félix Hernández (1st year)
• Adam Jones (1st year)
• Ian Kinsler (1st year)
• Russell Martin (1st year)
• Brian McCann (1st year)
• Dustin Pedroia (1st year)
• Hanley Ramírez (1st year)
• Fernando Rodney (1st year)
• CC Sabathia (1st year)
• Ichiro Suzuki (1st year)
• Troy Tulowitzki (1st year)
• Ben Zobrist (1st year)