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Tonight, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America revealed the newest members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s a special time for Yankees fans, because two former Bombers are heading to Cooperstown.
Presenting the Class of 2019:
- Mariano Rivera
- Mike Mussina
- Edgar Martinez
- Roy Halladay
We’ll have a more detailed story soon, followed by a week-long celebration of Mariano Rivera and Mike Mussina. Congratulations Mo and Moose!
Later tonight, the National Baseball Hall of Fame will reveal its Class of 2019. In total, 35 players stand eligible for induction. Over 400 ballots were submitted by voters in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. To achieve baseball immortality, a candidate must receive 75% of the votes.
While the results have yet to be announced, the headliner of this year’s class will be longtime Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. Mo will sail into Cooperstown. The question, of course, will be whether or not he will make history as the first ever unanimous induction.
A number of other former Yankees will have their chance at enshrinement. The best case belongs to Mike Mussina, who pitched in pinstripes from 2001 - 2008. Roger Clemens, whose candidacy stalled out due to PED connections, remains one to keep an eye on. The same goes for Andy Pettitte, who will fight to avoid falling off the ballot after just a single year.
A who’s who of former Yankees also on the ballot includes: Lance Berkman, Freddy Garcia, Travis Hafner, Andruw Jones, Ted Lily, Derek Lowe, Gary Sheffield, Vernon Wells, and Kevin Youkilis.
For those interested in projections, Ryan Thibodaux’s ballot tracker remains second to none. You can stay up to date on all publicly announced ballots by clicking here.
We’ll update this post as news emerges, then transition into full-scale coverage. In the meantime, use this thread to talk all things Hall of Fame.
How to Watch
Time: 6 PM ET
TV channel: MLB Network
Streaming: MLB.com