Carlos Beltrán’s push to enter Cooperstown gained buoyancy on Tuesday, but the polarizing center fielder still must overcome a shortfall to reach the Hall of Fame. Beltrán appeared on 70.3 percent of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballots released Tuesday,

Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner — were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Another deserving candidate, outfielder Carlos Beltran, came agonizingly close to being the fourth.

It now appears it's a question of when, not if, Carlos Beltrán will be voted into the Hall of Fame. In fact, next year could be his time, with the ballot wide open. Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were elected in voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America announced Tuesday night.

Carlos Beltrán is knocking at the door of Cooperstown. A steady increase in votes for the National Baseball Hall of Fame has the former Royal and longtime center fielder as close as ever to being elected in the coming year or two.

Carlos Beltrán appeared on 70.3% of the ballots Tuesday, leaving the former Mets and Yankees outfielder shy of the 75% required for Hall of Fame election.

And Beltrán’s penchant for the game’s dark arts caught him up in the game in his final stop, Houston, where he finally became a World Series champion yet left with the stain of helping architect a sign-stealing operation on par with the Astros’ rivals – yet they had the misfortune of getting caught.

Carlos Beltran was a close call as the Baseball Hall of Fame inductions were announced on Tuesday. Beltran fell about five percent shy of induction.

For the first time, I have an official Hall of Fame ballot in my hands. As I write this, I'm about to mail it. I have done a virtual truckload of homework in anticipation of this and it all started when I was a little kid.

Also newly eligible next year are Matt Kemp, the runner-up to Braun for that MVP, as well as 2016 Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello and longtime Kansas City Royals standout Alex Gordon.

On Tuesday night, the National Baseball Hall of Fame will announce its Class of 2025. Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner are expected to hear their nam

With Ichiro Suzuki somehow not getting inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame unanimously on the first ballot, all signs point to this next icon of the game potentially being able to do what one voter decided should not be Suzuki's destiny.