Ichiro Suzuki’s place in Cooperstown was never a “maybe”—it was undeniable and inevitable. With over 3,000 MLB hits and around 4,367 combined between Japan and the majors, he had a lock on his place in Cooperstown. The suspense was whether he would become the second unanimous selection in the Hall of Fame after Mariano Rivera.

The results came, and as expected, he made it to the Hall of Fame. But it wasn’t the result most wanted; it was not perfection. Turns out, out of the 394 ballots cast, one voter left Ichiro off, keeping him from joining his former Yankees teammate as the only player to get 100% of the vote. Wait, what? That was everyone’s reaction mostly.

Yes, making it into Cooperstown is big news, but fans and analysts were stunned. Because who in their right mind, knowing that Ichiro Suzuki was so close, would snub him off this prestige? Not just among the best hitters but much more. Someone who paved the way for baseball icons like Shohei Ohtani and more to make their way from Japan. And make it big too. Everyone wondered who was the voter. Finally, BBWAA made the ballots public. But still, the answer remains a mystery!

So only 321 ballots were made public by BBWAA, and in each of them was Ichiro Suzuki’s name. This means the rogue vote came from one of the 73 anonymous ballots. But there is no way of knowing who. As the name is protected by Hall of Fame rules that allow the voters to keep their choices private. No doubt, it’s a system that has annoyed many people.

This may seem far-fetched to some, but having a rightful place in history for baseball legends is numero uno for true fans. However, Ichiro Suzuki, ever the graceful person, didn’t mind. He, speaking through a translator, made a joke, asking the one who didn’t vote for him to come have a drink with him.

“There’s one writer I wasn’t able to get a vote from. I’d like to invite him over to my house; we’ll have a drink, and we’ll have a good chat,” saidt he former Japanese pro. Well, classic Ichiro, isn’t it? But joining him in the 2025 class are CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, with Dave Parker and Dick Allen elected via the Classic Era Committee. Meanwhile, this unanimous voter sure would anger those who are not happy with the entire ordeal.

Ichiro Suzuki’s snub sparks call for voting system change

The decision to keep the Hall of Fame voter’s identities a secret is baffling to many. The modern world demands transparency, and at the end of the day, shouldn’t voters take accountability for their choices? This lack of transparency has led to an outcry from fans, players, and even writers. Bop Klapisch, a writer from NJ Advance Media, in fact, called the anonymous voter the “clown of the year.” But that’s not all.

Jon Heyman referred to the Ichiro Suzuki vote loner as a “numbskull.” Adam Jones, the former Orioles outfielder, joked how one of the three votes he got must have come from that person. Ben Verlander demanded for the voter to “out yourself.” The results have come, and clearly, they have chosen to stay hidden. Now this isn’t the only time this has happened. Derek Jeter has faced the same fate—he fell short of one vote. And even that vote is still anonymous.

In all of MLB’s decades-long history, Mariano Rivera remains the only player to get all the votes. The water has gone above the levels for many, and they are demanding that the voting process be restructured. Wes C, the former co-host of the Meyers and Wes show, suggested that the voting process should be changed. Perhaps a shift to a 75% player-based voting system with just 25% media representation. That would lead to a better balance and probably even a more transparent decision.

In the end, the controversy is that despite so many great players, the fact that only one sits in the club is mind-boggling. The public deserves to know why their icons like Ichiro Suzuki are falling short and where their icons are. Do you think there should be a change-up in the voting system? Let us know!