The BriefIchiro Suzuki became the first Japanese player to earn entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame.Suzuki earned 393 of 394 votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America, joining Derek Jeter in falling one vote shy of unanimous selection.

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?

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