This is former New York Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield’s final year of eligibility for the Baseball Hall of Fame, and after 25 votes his chances look promising.
The first 25 votes cast by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America have been catalogued and made public and Sheffield had 76% of the vote, or 19 of the 25 ballots cast. He needs 75% of the vote for induction.
If he is not inducted in 2024, he will fall off the ballot.
Sheffield played 22 MLB seasons with eight different teams. He played the 2005 and 2006 seasons with the Yankees, and in 2005 he had his final All-Star Game berth and Silver Slugger award as he batted .294 with 34 home runs and 123 RBI.
Sheffield was a nine-time All-Star, a five-time Silver Slugger (winning the award at two different positions) and finished in the Top 10 of MVP voting six times. He batted .292 for his career and ranks 21st all-time in walks (1,475), 27th in home runs (509), 30th in RBI (1,676) and 35th in total bases (4,737).
He also won a World Series rings with the Marlins in 1997.
One player — former Texas Rangers third baseman Adrián Beltré — was listed on all 25 ballots.
After 25 votes, the following players have at least 75% of the votes, the percentage needed for induction — Todd Helton (88%) and Joe Mauer (84%). The 2024 induction ceremony is set for July 21 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
The tracker estimates that there will be 384 ballots cast, which would require an estimated 288 votes for induction. Votes are to be completed by Dec. 31 with inductees to be announced on Jan. 23.
Whoever earns induction will join former manager Jim Leyland, who was voted in on the Contemporary Baseball Era Managers/Executives/Umpires ballot at the Winter Meetings.
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