Two MLB writers have detailed their selections for the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, highlighting players with strong statistical cases amid debates over PED use and career peaks. Jason Foster voted for eight candidates, while Mike Petriello cast his maximum of 10 votes in his first year as a voter. Their choices reflect evolving standards for induction in a challenging era for baseball.
The 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot features a mix of returnees and newcomers, prompting voters to weigh peak performance against traditional milestones and off-field issues. Jason Foster, in his inaugural ballot, selected eight players, emphasizing the modern game's increased difficulty and shorter careers. "I'm not really a 'Big Hall' guy," Foster wrote, but he valued peaks over totals, voting for Bobby Abreu, Carlos Beltrán, Félix Hernández, Andruw Jones, Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, Chase Utley, and David Wright. For Abreu, he noted the outfielder's nine-year .305 average and .928 OPS peak with the Phillies. Beltrán stood out for joining Willie Mays with 2,700 hits, 400 homers, and 300 steals. Hernández earned a strategic vote for his 2009-15 dominance, including a Cy Young and 2.83 ERA. Jones impressed with 10 Gold Gloves and a 62.7 bWAR. Ramirez and Rodriguez, despite PED suspensions, were backed due to elite stats like Ramirez's .996 OPS and Rodriguez's 696 homers. Utley averaged 7.6 bWAR from 2005-10, while Wright's injury-shortened career included a .888 OPS over 1,374 games.
Mike Petriello, also new to voting, filled all 10 slots, countering the ballot's perceived weakness. "It’s harder than ever to get into the Hall of Fame," he argued, rejecting a 'small Hall' myth. His picks included Abreu, Beltrán, Mark Buehrle, Cole Hamels, Hernández, Jones, Andy Pettitte, Ramirez, Rodriguez, and Utley. Petriello grouped hitters like Beltrán (70 bWAR, high steal success) and the PED-linked Ramirez and Rodriguez, noting their inner-circle value despite suspensions. For pitchers, he advocated evaluating 'best of generation' amid fewer innings, citing Hernández's decade-long excellence comparable to CC Sabathia. Buehrle got a nod for 14 straight 200-inning seasons, Hamels for 2,500 strikeouts and innings, and Pettitte for postseason impact. Jones received a 'soft yes' for his 1998-2007 peak, despite a later decline and 2012 arrest.
Both voters excluded first-year players like Ryan Braun and returnees like Omar Vizquel, focusing on cases warranting further discussion to meet the 5% retention threshold. No slam-dunk inductees emerged, but the process underscores shifting criteria for Cooperstown.
