The results of the Hall of Fame voting were revealed late on Tuesday.
Scott Rolen was fortunate enough to finally get the call to Cooperstown.
However, he was the only one.
Other stars such as Carlos Beltran, Billy Wagner, and Andruw Jones weren’t so lucky.
But that doesn’t mean that none of those players aren’t trending in the right direction.
In fact, Wagner has been trending upwards in recent years.
After receiving 51 percent of the vote last year, he made the jump to 68 percent in 2023.
After learning of his significant jump, Wagner expressed his excitement for gaining more traction and his hopes of hopefully continuing to gain ground.
Billy Wagner upon learning he made a big jump to 68% in latest HOF ballot: "I’m happy that I got this far and blessed. I have no complaints. Of course, I would love to get in. It’s the pinnacle of any professional’s career, but nothing’s been easy this far, so why should it?”
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) January 24, 2023
Wagner pitched 16 seasons in the Major Leagues, spending time with the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Atlanta Braves.
Fortunately for him, he appears to be getting closer to getting the call.
At least 75 percent of the vote is required for a player to be eligible for induction.
This year, it will be Rolen and Fred McGriff who are enshrined in Cooperstown.
But Wagner appears to be getting much closer, which bodes well for him in the coming years.
The veteran left-hander and seven-time All-Star has three years of eligibility left on the ballot and is clearly trending in the right direction.
He may not have made it in this year, but 2024 looks promising for him.
Last year, David Ortiz, one of Wagner’s former Red Sox teammates, was elected to the Hall of Fame.
Perhaps Wagner can continue to trend upwards in the coming years.
