Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese player chosen for baseball's Hall of Fame, falling one vote shy of unanimous when he was elected Tuesday along with CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner.

To this point, only famed Yankee closer Mariano Rivera has been elected to the Hall of Fame unanimously — not Babe Ruth, not Hank Aaron, not Ken Griffey Jr. nor Derek Jeter, just Rivera. Could Suzuki be the second?

Ichiro Suzuki could join Mariano Rivera as the only unanimous picks for baseball’s Hall of Fame and CC Sabathia, Billy Wagner and Carlos Beltrán also could be elected when results

From no-doubt first-ballot stars to close calls, here's who should be preparing their Cooperstown speeches for each of the next five years.

After Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, attention turns to the ballot for 2026.

FILE - New York Mets right fielder Carlos Beltran lunges for the ball during the third inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, April 22, 2011 at Citi Field in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun, file) It now appears it's a question of when, not if, Carlos Beltrán will be voted into the Hall of Fame.

Of the 28 players on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s 2025 Hall of Fame ballot, three heard their names called when the results were announced Tuesday on MLB Network: Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner.

Wagner was elected in his 10th and final year on the ballot with 82.5% of the vote. Chase Utley climbed to 39.8% in his second year.

Ichiro Suzuki has made even more history. The all-time great hitter is heading to Cooperstown, with C.C. Sabathia and Billy Wagner joining him.

Chase Utley is well-positioned to someday reach the 75% mark for election, but Jimmy Rollins and Bobby Abreu are spinning their wheels.