Murphy joins fellow holdovers Barry Bonds, Roger Clemons and Don Mattingly, along with additions Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela.
The results will be announced on Dec. 7 on MLB Network at 7:30 p.m. ET. Any players selected will join whoever, if anyone, is elected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) as part of the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.
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This is Murphy’s second time on the Contemporary Era ballot after falling short of induction in 2022. His former teammate, Fred McGriff, was the lone player to be inducted off that ballot.
Murphy’s case is that of his dominance all throughout the 1980’s. Not only was he a back-to-back MVP winner (1982-83), Murphy finished top 10 in voting for four consecutive seasons from 1982 to 1985. He earned five Gold Gloves, four Silver Slugger awards and averaged 20.5 stolen bases per year during that stretch.
Following the 1987 season, however, Murphy’s performance took a steep decline. Over the remainder of his career, he hit just .234 with 88 home runs (His final season came in 1993 with the expansion Colorado Rockies). This sudden decline has been a major factor in his lack of support for the Hall of Fame.
But in this committee — a panel made up of 16 former players, executives, sportswriters and historians from around the game — a player needs 12 of 16 votes (75%) for election. Murphy received six votes, or 37.5%, in 2022, topping his highest percentage in any of the 15 years he logged on the writers’ ballot (23.2%).
Murphy’s case is a case defined by his peak and not his overall longevity, which, in years past, was the defining factor in Hall of Fame voting. 3,000 hits and 500 home runs was once the bar.
While Murphy’s 2,111 hits and 398 home runs don’t leap off the stat sheet, his consistent presence in the “best player in baseball” conversation throughout the 1980s has kept him in the Hall of Fame discussion nearly 23 years after his retirement.
Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, an Atlanta legend, advocated for Murphy on 680 The Fan on Tuesday.
“He had a 10-year shelf life of dominant play,” Jones said. “I mean, what do you need? Silver Sluggers? Ok. He’s got them. Need some Gold Gloves? He got them, too. MVPs? Yeah, he’s got two of those. So … he had a pretty damn good 10-year run.”
Andruw Jones knocking on the door
Braves legend Andruw Jones is in his ninth year on the Hall of Fame ballot, and with a lackluster group of names hitting the ballot this cycle for the first time, the defensive wizard has his best shot of getting inducted into Cooperstown.
Jones received 66.2% of the vote in 2024, trailing Carlos Beltran (70.3%) for the highest voting percentage on the ballot. Chase Utley (39.8%) and Alex Rodriguez (37.1%) were the next highest totals during that voting cycle.
Jones accumulated 24.4 defensive WAR in his career, which is the most of any outfielder in MLB history. He was a 10-time Gold Glove winner and hit over 400 home runs, joining Willie Mays, Mike Schmidt and Ken Griffey Jr. as the only non-pitchers to accomplish the feat.
Jones, like Murphy, however, declined rapidly after turning 30, dealing with knee issues which limited his defensive abilities and making him a liability at the plate. He added just 1.7 WAR to his total from age 31 to 35.
Even if he barely misses out, Jones will be on the ballot for the final time next year, in which newcomers Buster Posey and Jon Lester hit the ballot.
The 2026 Hall of Fame class will be announced Jan. 20. Newcomers to the ballot this year include Ryan Braun and Cole Hamels. Manny Ramirez is in his final year of eligibility.
