Billy Wagner officially entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in his final eligibility year, garnering 82.5% of the vote after years of increasing support. He started with only 10.5% in 2016 and slowly climbed, nearly making it last year. Renowned for his impressive 422 saves and a remarkable 2.31 career ERA, he ranks among the top closers in MLB history. The emotional announcement marked a long-awaited milestone for Wagner, who reflected on his journey while noting he excelled at not blowing saves throughout his decade-long wait for induction.
"It's not been an easy 10 years," Wagner said in a virtual news conference. "The only thing I thought I did well was I didn't blow a save for 10 years."
Wagner received 82.5 percent of the tally from the Baseball Writers' Association of America, which allowed an exhale - and plenty of tears, as video showed - after he missed by just five votes last year.
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