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Alex Rodriguez’s Hall of Fame Progress Is Quickly Accelerating Ahead of 2026 Election
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- Alex Rodriguez’s Hall of Fame Progress Is Quickly Accelerating Ahead of 2026 Election
Longtime New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is making notable progress in his journey toward potential induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
According to Ryan Thibodaux's Hall of Fame tracker , Rodriguez has appeared on 51.1% (46 ballots) of the 90 ballots (86 public, four anonymous) collected thus far. For comparison, Rodriguez appeared on 124 of the 333 ballots (37.2%) tracked by Thibodaux last year. He ultimately received 146 votes, accounting for 37.1% of the 394 total ballots cast.
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Thibodaux estimates that 423 ballots will be cast this year, meaning a candidate must appear on at least 321 ballots (75%) to earn induction. Candidates may remain on the ballot for up to 10 years, and this is Rodriguez's fifth year of eligibility. As of publication, 21% of voters had shared their ballot with Thibodaux.
Two of Rodriguez's former Yankees teammates, Carlos Beltrán (85.6%) and Andruw Jones (81.1%), are the only two players on pace for election. Longtime Seattle Mariners ace Félix Hernández (61.1%) is the only other player currently above 60%.
What to Know About Alex Rodriguez and the Hall of Fame
New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez carries the World Series championship trophy in 2009Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Although Rodriguez is unlikely to be elected this year, as he would need to appear on 81.4% of remaining ballots, the early results are nonetheless noteworthy. The Hall of Fame has yet to elect a player suspended for violating Major League Baseball 's performance-enhancing drug policy; Rodriguez sat out the entire 2014 season following a 162-game suspension for his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.
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Based on the data so far, it is not unrealistic to expect Rodriguez to appear on at least 50% of ballots this cycle. That would give him five more years to collect the additional support needed, which is difficult but not impossible. He is a three-time MVP winner who retired with 3,115 hits, 696 home runs, 329 stolen bases, and a .930 OPS. Only 15 players have a higher bWAR than his 117.4, and the only two not currently in the Hall of Fame — Barry Bonds (162.8) and Roger Clemens (139.2) — have their own PED-related history.
USA Today's Steve Gardner recently wrote that he refuses to vote for Rodriguez or former Boston Red Sox All-Star outfielder Manny Ramírez, who was suspended twice after positive tests. Ramírez appeared on 45.6% of ballots in his final year of eligibility.
"Once the crackdown began in 2004 and penalties were established for getting caught, those players are no longer eligible for me," Gardner wrote . "It's an offense that's multiple times more damaging to the game than sign-stealing."
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Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez and New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez prior to the 79th MLB All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on July 15, 2008.
However, MassLive's Christopher Smith voted for both players and explained his decision in a post on X/Twitter.
"I know Ramirez and Rodriguez both were suspended twice and being repeat offenders keeps many voters from checking the box next to their names," Smith said . "But to me, they were two of the great hitters ever and I decided to vote for them."
Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens' Hall of Fame History Work Against Alex Rodriguez's Chances
The Hall of Fame has also not elected players who admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, as Rodriguez did in February 2009. Additionally, no players named in the 2007 Mitchell Report — a list that includes Bonds, Clemens, and Gary Sheffield — have been elected by either the writers or a committee.
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Bonds, Clemens, and Sheffield received fewer than five votes on the Contemporary Baseball Era ballot earlier this year. They will permanently fall off the ballot if they do not receive at least five of 16 votes in 2031.
Rodriguez told TODAY in November that he is "definitely not going" in the Hall of Fame.
"I knew the rules, I broke the rules, and if that's the penalty, that's completely on me," Rodriguez acknowledged .
The 2026 Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for July 26. Former San Francisco Giants second baseman Jeff Kent, elected via the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee, longtime Fox Sports and ESPN announcer Joe Buck, recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, and Cleveland sports writer Paul Hoynes, the BBWAA Career Excellence Award winner, will also be honored.
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Related: Latest Dustin Pedroia Hall of Fame Update Is Good News for Red Sox Fans
Related: Giants Insider Sounds Alarm on Barry Bonds' Hall of Fame Future
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
