Billy Wagner, one of the most dominant left-handed relievers in MLB history, has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his 10th and final year on the ballot.
The former flame-throwing closer received 82.5 percent of the votes, just five votes shy of election in his penultimate year. He will be inducted on 27 July in Cooperstown, New York, alongside fellow inductees Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, Dave Parker, and Dick Allen.
Wagner’s journey to Cooperstown has been long and at times challenging. The seven-time All-Star finishes his 16-year career with 422 saves, the eighth most in MLB history and second among left-handed pitchers, behind only John Franco.
His electrifying fastball, which regularly reached 100 mph, was the key weapon in his arsenal, helping him to rank first all-time among pitchers with at least 900 innings in strikeouts per nine innings (11.92), opponents' batting average (.187), and hits per nine innings (5.99).
“Everything I do has been a blessing,” Wagner said. “To look back and see that I’m the first left-handed reliever, the first Division III [college player], the first guy from the state of Virginia in the Hall of Fame as a baseball player, those things that are meaningful.”
Wagner's emotional reaction to the news has been making rounds on social media.
Wagner’s career began with the Houston Astros, where he recorded a club-record 225 saves, making three All-Star appearances during his nine years with the team. His 1999 season was one of the most dominant by any closer in history, with 39 saves, a 1.57 ERA, 124 strikeouts, and a .135 opponents’ batting average.
He later had stints with the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Atlanta Braves, securing 101 saves with the Mets and finishing his career with a flourish at the Braves in 2010, recording 37 saves and posting a 1.43 ERA in his final season.
Wagner’s path to the Hall of Fame was not always straightforward. In his second year on the ballot, he received just 10.2 percent of the vote. However, his support grew steadily, and he became the only candidate in the modern election era to receive fewer than 15 percent of the vote in three separate BBWAA elections before earning his place in Cooperstown.
“Anybody who knows me well knows that I’m very impatient,” Wagner admitted, reflecting on his long Hall of Fame journey. “As the road got closer to this point in time, there were times where I was very optimistic, but last year and missing out... it’s not been an easy 10 years to sit here and swallow a lot of things.”
Wagner’s final career season with the Braves was a testament to his enduring quality. In his final regular-season game, Wagner struck out all three batters he faced, leaving the game as he had lived it — dominant.
Wagner’s legacy extends beyond the field, as he has served as head baseball coach at the Miller School of Albemarle in Charlottesville, Virginia, since 2011, coaching two of his sons, including Will, who made his MLB debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2024. Wagner’s election to the Hall of Fame represents the culmination of an incredible career — one defined by a blazing fastball, unmatched strikeout ability, and a determination that carried him to the pinnacle of his sport.
“I would have done anything to be in the big leagues,” Wagner said. “It’s the greatest experience in the world to be there and walk on the field with Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio and guys like that. If they wanted me to carry the water cooler, I would have done that, too.”