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Sabathia and Hernández likely to join together in 2025

Ichiro Suzuki

As soon as the results of the 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) Hall of Fame voting results were announced, next year's leading candidates are already attracting attention.

Local media such as MLB.com selected Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, and Felix Hernández as the top candidates to enter the Hall of Fame in 2025 on the 25th (Korean time).

Japanese star Ichiro debuted in the Major League in 2001 and recorded a career batting average of 0.311, 3,089 hits, 117 home runs, 780 RBI, and 509 stolen bases until his retirement after the 2019 season.

Although he lacked slugging power, he was known as a synonymous hitter due to his excellent batting ability and quick feet. He was the first Japanese to be selected as Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player (MVP), and was selected as an All-Star 10 times.

If Ichiro receives more than 75% of the votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA), he will become the first Asian to be inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.

Previously, Hideo Nomo and Hideki Matsui were nominated as candidates, but were eliminated due to poor approval ratings in the first year of voting.

CC Sabathia

Sabathia and Hernández are also likely to be inducted into the Hall of Fame next year.

Sabathia, a left-handed pitcher who also played 19 seasons, recorded a career record of 251 wins, 161 losses, and an ERA of 3.74.

Sabathia, who won the Cy Young Award once and was selected as an All-Star six times, has a career win-against-replacement contribution (WAR) of 62.3, which is higher than Ichiro (60.0).

Hernández is also a strong candidate.

Like Sabathia, Hernández, who recorded 169 wins, 131 losses, and an ERA of 3.42 over 15 seasons, won the Cy Young Award once and was selected as an All-Star six times.

Sabathia and Hernández will attempt to join the Hall of Fame as pitchers six years after Mariano Rivera, Roy Halladay, and Mike Mussina entered the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Shin-Soo Choo of the Texas Rangers

MLB.com mentioned Cole Hamels and Ryan Braun as strong candidates to vote for the Hall of Fame in 2026, and also included Choo Shin-soo (41).

Choo Shin-soo, who played for the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, and Texas Rangers from 2005 to 2020, recorded a career batting average of 0.275, 218 home runs, 782 RBI, and 157 stolen bases in 16 seasons.

Even if Choo Shin-soo is selected as a candidate for the Hall of Fame, he will become the first Korean to do so. 사설토토