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Yankees Fans Sound Off on Sunday’s Don Mattingly News
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- Yankees Fans Sound Off on Sunday’s Don Mattingly News
Longtime New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly was not elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the museum announced Sunday night.
The Hall of Fame released its Contemporary Baseball Era ballot voting results, with former San Francisco Giants All-Star second baseman Jeff Kent earning 14 of 16 votes to secure induction; candidates needed at least 12 votes. Mattingly received only six, down from the eight he earned in 2022.
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Carlos Delgado, an All-Star first baseman who spent most of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays , earned nine votes . Atlanta Braves great Dale Murphy received six votes.
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela received fewer than five votes. As a result, they will not be eligible again until 2031.
Yankees Fans Furious After Don Mattingly Didn't Make the Hall of Fame
New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly during the 1992 seasonUSA TODAY Sports
Mattingly hit .307 with 222 homers, 1,099 RBIs, 442 doubles and an .830 OPS from 1982 through 1995. A nine-time Gold Glove winner, Mattingly — who spent his final five seasons as the Yankees' captain — won the 1985 AL MVP and earned six All-Star selections. The Yankees retired his No. 23 in 1997.
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"Don Mattingly may not be a Hall of Famer to them," read one X/Twitter post . "But he will ALWAYS be a Hall of Famer to me. He's a Yankees icon and the epitome of what every damn ballplayer should be. 🖤"
Another added, "Donnie B continuing to be denied is a travesty of modern sports."
Although Mattingly's counting stats are impressive, he falls short of most Hall of Fame metrics. Baseball-Reference lists his Hall of Fame standards at 34, significantly below the average Hall of Famer's 50. Mattingly's JAWS ( Jaffe WAR Score system ) is 39.0, while the average Hall of Fame first baseman scores a 53.5.
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"It's pathetic that the Hall prioritizes longevity and raw counting stats over peak dominance, elite defense and cultural impact," an X user argued. "He's a top 20 first baseman EVER. Damn shame."
Mattingly's 42.2 bWAR is significantly below the 65.0 bWAR that the average Hall of Fame first baseman recorded. He reached the postseason only once, and the 1995 Yankees didn't advance past the ALDS.
"Voters provided your yearly reminder not to take the HOF seriously," one fan wrote.
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The voting committee included Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Jim Kaat, Juan Marichal, Tony Pérez, Ozzie Smith, Alan Trammell and Robin Yount; MLB executives Mark Attanasio, Doug Melvin, Arte Moreno, Kim Ng, Tony Reagins and Terry Ryan; and media members and historians Steve Hirdt, Tyler Kepner and Jayson Stark. Although Kaat played for the Yankees, he did so in 1979 and 1980, a few years before Mattingly debuted.
Mattingly, who turns 65 next April, said after the World Series that he is unsure if he will retire or coach again next season. He has worked with the Toronto Blue Jays since 2023 and served as their bench coach this past season.
Related: Yankees Insider Provides Jazz Chisholm Contract News Before Winter Meetings
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Related: Don Mattingly Expresses Regret Over Blue Jays' World Series Baserunning Blunder
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 8, 2025, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
