Billy Wagner is headed to Cooperstown.
The former Houston Astros All-Star relief pitcher has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
In his 10th and final season on the Hall of Fame ballot, Wagner saw a significant increase in his vote totals in recent years. He went from receiving 16.7 percent of the vote in 2019 to 33.2 in 2020, 46.4 in 2021, 51 in 2022, 68.1 in 2023 and 73.8 in 2024.
Wagner also becomes the third player voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame who played all or the majority of his Major League games in an Astros uniform. He joins Craig Biggio (2015) and Jeff Bagwell (2017).
Wagner’s most memorable season was 1999.
That season, he had 39 saves with a 1.57 ERA while punching out 124 batters in 74.2 innings pitched and allowing just 35 hits. Wagner’s .135 opponent batting average and 14.95 SO/9 innings pitched totals were the best in Major League history for a single season at the time.
His 1999 campaign was unquestionably one of the most dominant seasons ever by a closer, earning him a fourth-place finish in the NL Cy Young voting.
In his 17-year career, Wagner had 422 saves, 1,196 strikeouts, an ERA of 2.31, and went 47-40 overall. He was a seven-time All-Star, was part of a combined no-hitter in 2003, and is a member of the Houston Astros Hall of Fame.
He played for the Astros (1995-2003), Philadelphia Phillies (2004-05), New York Mets (2006-09), Boston Red Sox (2009) and Atlanta Braves (2010). He was selected by the Astros in the first round of the 1993 draft.
Wagner will be part of an induction class that also includes Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia, Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Dave Parker, and Philadelphia Phillies infielder Dick Allen.
The Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony will occur in Cooperstown, New York on Sunday, July 27th.
