CLEVELAND, Ohio — In retirement, C.C. Sabathia has been fond of telling reporters who ask that he was born in Vallejo, Calif., but he “grew up” in Cleveland.
The Guardians honored Sabathia this past season by adding him to the team’s Hall of Fame and celebrating his eight seasons with the club.
The next step for the former Indians first-round draft pick could be a stop at the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the lefty is among five ex-Cleveland players appearing on this year’s ballot for the Class of 2025.
Sabathia is joined by Cleveland greats Manny Ramirez and Omar Vizquel as well as Hanley Ramirez and Carlos Gonzalez, who each appeared briefly for the Indians in the 2019 season.
Other headliners on the 2025 ballot include Ichiro Suzuki and Dustin Pedroia both in their first year of eligibility, as well as Billy Wagner, who fell just five votes short of election last year and is in his 10th and final year on the ballot.
Nearly 400 voting members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America receive their ballots in the mail this week.
Suzuki, González, Ramírez and Pedroia join Félix Hernández as first-timers on the 2025 ballot. Candidates must be named on 75% of ballots cast by BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive years of MLB coverage to gain election. Induction weekend takes place July 25-28 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Players remain on the ballot for up to 10 years provided they receive at least 5% of the vote.
Sabathia pitched for 19 seasons, beginning his career in 2001 with Cleveland where he was the runner-up to Suzuki for the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2001. He won 251 games and posted a career 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts. In 2007, he became just the second Cleveland pitcher at that time to win the AL Cy Young Award. Sabathia is one of only six pitchers in history with at least 250 victories, a .600 winning percentage and 3,000 strikeouts.
Ballots are due to be postmarked by Dec. 31 and will be counted by BBWAA secretary-treasurer Jack O’Connell and Ernst & Young partner Mark Moran. Results will be announced by Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch at 6 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2025, live on MLB Network.
2025 National Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot
Bobby Abreu, Carlos Beltrán, Mark Buehrle, Carlos González, Curtis Granderson, Félix Hernández, Torii Hunter, Adam Jones, Andruw Jones, Ian Kinsler, Russell Martin, Brian McCann, Dustin Pedroia, Andy Pettitte, Hanley Ramírez, Manny Ramírez, Fernando Rodney, Álex Rodríguez, Francisco Rodríguez, Jimmy Rollins, CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki, Troy Tulowitzki, Chase Utley, Omar Vizquel, Billy Wagner, David Wright, Ben Zobrist.