NEW YORK – In a moment that would etch itself in baseball history, CC Sabathia covered his face with his glove. It was a gesture to mask the pain and the intense emotion that filled the air. Just moments ago, he had exited Game 4 of the 2019 AL Championship Series. With a partially dislocated left shoulder, he had thrown his last few pitches against the Houston Astros. As the Yankee Stadium crowd erupted in a heartfelt standing ovation, Sabathia walked off the field, knowing that his long and illustrious MLB career had come to an end. “It’s kind of fitting,” he said later. “I threw until I couldn’t anymore.”

CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki Lead the First-Time Eligibles

CC Sabathia now finds himself among the first-time eligibles for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He joins the sure-fire Hall of Fame candidate, Ichiro Suzuki, on this prestigious list. Alongside them are other notable names such as Felix Hernandez, Adam Jones, and longtime Boston Red Sox second baseman and Yankees’ nemesis Dustin Pedroia. Curtis Granderson, Russell Martin, and Brian McCann have also been added to this year’s ballot. Additionally, Carlos González, Ian Kinsler, Hanley Ramirez, Fernando Rodney, Troy Tulowitzki, and Ben Zobrist have made their mark.

CC Sabathia's Early Years and Impact

After spending eight seasons mostly with Cleveland, Sabathia made an immediate impact when he signed a seven-year, $161 million free agent contract. This was a then-record for a pitcher, and he became the ace of the 2009 world champion Yankees. In 2007, he won the AL Cy Young Award and became one of just five pitchers to achieve remarkable feats. His 3,093 strikeouts among left-handed pitchers rank third on the all-time strikeout list (18th overall), behind only Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton. Sabathia made three of his six All-Star teams with Cleveland. In 2008, when he was traded to Milwaukee, he was 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA. This carried the Brewers to their postseason after a 25-year absence. And in 2001, Sabathia finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting to Ichiro, who batted an astonishing.350.

Reliever Billy Wagner's Final Bid

Reliever Billy Wagner appears on his 10th and final Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot. He came close to election last time, missing by just five votes. This year’s Hall of Fame results will be released on Jan. 21 via MLB Network, with the induction ceremonies scheduled for July 27. It’s a moment that holds great significance for Wagner as he pursues his place in baseball history.

The Complete 2025 Hall of Fame Ballot

The complete 2025 Hall of Fame ballot features a diverse group of players. Bobby Abreu, Carlos Beltrán, Mark Buehrle, Carlos González, Curtis Granderson, Félix Hernández, Torii Hunter, Adam Jones, Andruw Jones, Ian Kinsler, Russell Martin, Brian McCann, Dustin Pedroia, Andy Pettitte, Hanley Ramírez, Manny Ramírez, Fernando Rodney, Álex Rodríguez, Francisco Rodríguez, Jimmy Rollins, CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki, Troy Tulowitzki, Chase Utley, Omar Vizquel, Billy Wagner, David Wright, and Ben Zobrist. Jones (61.6) and Beltran (57.1) were the only other returnees this year to surpass 50 percent on last year’s ballot. Beltran is on his third ballot while Jones is on his eighth. Players who receive at least five percent of the roughly 400 votes cast can remain on the writers’ ballot up to 10 years. While Beltran’s candidacy has been affected by his role in the Astros’ electronic sign stealing scandal, Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez have faced severe setbacks due to MLB suspensions for performance enhancing drug use. Ex-Yankees Bobby Abreu (14.8 percent) and Andy Pettitte (13.5 percent) have a long way to go. Mets favorite David Wright appears on his second ballot, having received 6.2 percent of the vote in his first try.