Fernando Valenzuela, who ended his career with the St. Louis Cardinals, did not receive enough votes to make the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 on Sunday.
Valenzuela needed 12 of 16 votes to make the Hall of Fame through the Contemporary Baseball Eras Committee. He received less than five votes, which means he’s ineligible in the next cycle of voting, and will have to wait until 2031 for another chance. If he’s unable to secure at least five votes in any other balloting year, then he will be permanently ineligible.
Of the eight players up for consideration, only longtime second baseman Jeff Kent received enough votes. He will be inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in July of 2026.
Former Cardinals star Ozzie Smith was part of the 16-person voting committee, which included Hall of Famers Ferguson Jenkins, Jim Kaat, Juan Marichal, Tony Perez, Smith, Alan Trammell, and Robin Yount. Others on the list included Mark Attanasio, who owns the Milwaukee Brewers and Doug Melvin, who also works for the Brewers. Arte Moreno, owner of the Los Angeles Angels, and Kim Ng, former general manager of the Miami Marlins, were also on the committee alongside Tony Reagins, Terry Ryan, Steve Hirdt, Tyler Kepner and Jayson Stark. Reagins and Ryan are executives while the final three are media members/historians.
About Valenzuela’s career
He spent 17 years in the big leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers, California Angels, San Diego Padres and Cardinals, finishing with St. Louis in 1997. In total, he was 173-153 with a 3.54 ERA and he helped spark “Fernando Mania” in 1980. He won double-digit games in 10 different seasons, and won 21 games in an All-Star season of 1986. He won the World Series with Los Angeles in 1981 and also captured a Cy Young, six All-Star Game appearances and a Gold Glove Award.
He was a Rookie of the Year and a two-time Silver Slugger at the plate.
About his time in St. Louis
Valenzuela was no longer the same with the Cardinals in that 1997 season, going 0-4 in just five starts with a 5.56 ERA. Regardless of how he finished, his impact on the game, and on the Latin community, is undeniable.
Unfortunate death
Valenzuela died on Oct. 22, 2024 in Los Angeles. The Dodgers honored him at the 2024 World Series, which they won.
About the Contemporary Baseball Era Ballot:
The following comes from the Baseball Hall of Fame:
The Era Committees consist of three different electorates: The Classic Baseball Era, consisting of the period prior to 1980 and including Negro Leagues and pre-Negro Leagues stars; and the Contemporary Baseball Era, consisting of the period from 1980 to present day. The Contemporary Baseball Era is split into two separate ballots – one ballot to consider only players who made their greatest impact on the game since 1980, and another composite ballot consisting of managers, executives and umpires whose greatest contributions to the game have come since 1980.
