The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled its 2026 ballot Monday, with 12 first-time candidates joining 15 holdovers from last year’s ballot.
Among the new players eligible: former Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello, who captured the American League Cy Young Award in 2016 when he went 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA. Two years later, Porcello won 17 games for a World Series-winning Red Sox team. In all, Porcello spent five of his 12 MLB seasons in a Red Sox uniform.
Others new to the ballot: Cole Hamels, Ryan Braun, Alex Gordon, Shin-Soo Chin, Edwin Encarnacion, Howie Kendrick, Nick Markakis, Hunter Pence, Gio Gonzalez, Matt Kemp and Daniel Murphy.
The expectation is that none of the players new to the ballot will gain election in their first try.
Those newcomers join returning nominees, led by Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones. Beltran narrowly missed election last winter, named on 70.3 percent of ballots. Jones was named on 66.2 percent of ballots.
To gain induction, players must be named on 75 percent of ballots from eligible Baseball Writers Association of America voters.
Others returning to the ballot are: Chase Utley, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Andy Pettitte, Felix Hernandez, Bobby Abreu, Jimmy Rollins, Omar Vizquel, Dustin Pedroia, Mark Buehrle, Francisco Rodriguez, David Wright, and Torii Hunter.
Ramirez is in his 10th and final year of eligibility.
Players may remain on the ballot for up to 10 years, provided they receive at least five percent of the vote. Pedroia, who won an MVP, Rookie of the Year and four Gold Gloves with the Red Sox, was named on 11.9 percent of last year’s ballot, his first year of eligibility.
Results will be announced on Jan. 20, Next summer’s induction will take place on July 26 in Cooperstown, N.Y
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