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TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 19: Edwin Encarnacion #10 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after a strike call in the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians during game five of the American League Championship Series at Rogers Centre on October 19, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Baseball Hall of Fame results delivered a mixed message for Toronto Blue Jays fans on Tuesday night.
While former infielder Jeff Kent earned election to Cooperstown via the Contemporary Baseball Eras Committee, three players with Blue Jays ties did not.
As Yahoo Sports noted, Edwin Encarnación, Mark Buehrle, and Omar Vizquel were all denied induction through the writers’ ballot.
Encarnación fell well short of the required 75 percent threshold and received just over one percent of the vote.
This ended his time on the ballot entirely.
Buehrle earned 20 percent, while Vizquel finished at 18.4 percent, keeping both alive for future consideration.
For a fan base that watched all three contribute to meaningful seasons in Toronto, the results underscored how difficult it remains for even highly productive players from recent Blue Jays teams to break through Hall of Fame voting.
Edwin Encarnación’s Peak Years Still Define a Blue Jays Era
Encarnación’s Hall of Fame case has always hinged on his prime.
For Toronto fans, that peak remains unforgettable.
He is a huge part of their turnaround as a franchise and is a big reason why they are so competitive today.
Over eight seasons with the Blue Jays, Encarnación hit .268 with 239 home runs.
He became one of the most feared right-handed power bats in the American League.
He led the AL with 127 RBIs in 2016 and was a key player on back-to-back American League Championship Series teams in 2015 and 2016.
League-wide, Encarnación finished his career with 424 home runs and nine seasons of at least 25 homers.
These are numbers that compare favorably with several Hall of Fame sluggers.
Still, voters appeared unmoved.
This is a reminder that dominance over a defined period, even one that helped revive baseball in Toronto, often isn’t enough on its own.
This marked his quick exit from the ballot, but he will always be remembered in Toronto.
Buehrle and Vizquel Remain Hall of Fame Long Shots
While Buehrle and Vizquel did not get in this year, they still have a chance in the future.
Buehrle was a five-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, and World Series champion.
In three seasons with Toronto, he went 40-28 with a 3.78 ERA and earned an All-Star nod in 2014.
Vizquel’s situation is more complicated.
Once viewed as one of the greatest defensive shortstops ever, his Hall of Fame candidacy has stalled due to off-field issues and declining voter support.
His time with Toronto was brief, but his inclusion among former Blue Jays on the ballot still tied him to the franchise in this year’s results.
Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones were both elected today to the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
They join Jeff Kent, who was previously selected by the Contemporary Baseball Eras Committee.
Kent made his MLB debut with the Toronto Blue Jays during the 1992 season but was traded to the Mets in late August.
This trade occurred just before the club’s World Series run.
Despite missing the postseason, he still received a championship ring as a member of the organization and will now technically go into the HOF as a former Blue Jay.
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