The Baseball Hall of Fame 2026 voting has begun, and it seems like there’s still no good news for Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez. Despite having had glorious career, including 3 MVP and 14 All-Star titles, Rodriguez’s past mistakes continue to haunt him on the boundaries of the Hall of Fame. Amid the voting ballot discussions, writer Steve Gardner turned strictly against the two, making it clear that they would never make it to his priority list. And the reason behind his bold call? Let’s find out!

“I also have no doubts about withholding my vote for Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez,” Gardner wrote in a recent article posted on USA Today. “As I’ve stated before, I draw the line on PED users at the point where MLB decided to implement its current testing policy. Once the crackdown began in 2004 and penalties were established for getting caught, those players are no longer eligible for me. It’s an offense that’s multiple times more damaging to the game than sign-stealing.”

Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez have been on the Baseball Hall of Fame candidate list ever since they became eligible five years after retiring. Ramirez first appeared on the ballot in 2017, after his last MLB season in 2011. Rodriguez, on the other hand, appeared in 2022 (after retiring in 2016). However, their past allegations of being involved with PED continue to haunt their chances.

Alex Rodriguez first admitted he used steroids from 2001 to 2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers because of performance pressure. He later became involved with the Biogenesis Clinic in Florida that supplied banned drugs like testosterone and human growth hormone to MLB players. MLB suspended him for 162 games, covering the entire 2014 season, for violating the league’s drug policy and attempting to cover up the violations. He also told federal investigators about PED use by other players while cooperating under immunity.

Ramirez, on the other hand, was suspended twice by MLB. In 2009, he got a 50-game suspension for violating the drug policy. In 2011, he faced a 100-game suspension for another violation, but he retired instead of serving it. He later agreed to a reduced 50-game suspension to be reinstated. The banned substance in 2009 was human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), often linked to steroid use.

Manny Ramirez’s chances of being in the Hall of Fame come to an end

Manny Ramirez’s chances of being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame are coming to an end with the 2026 ballot. The year marked his 10th and final year of eligibility under BBWAA rules. He first appeared on the ballot in 2017 and received 23.8% of the vote. Over the years, his support increased only slowly, staying in the high-20% range for several seasons before rising to about one-third of the vote. His highest total so far is 34.3%, far below the required 75%. While some players receive a late surge in their final year, recent history shows that such jumps are limited for players connected to PEDs.

He was one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball history in parts of 19 seasons. The 53-year-old finished with a .312 batting average, 555 home runs, 1,831 RBI, and a 154 OPS+. He also played a major role in postseason history. He won two World Series with the Red Sox and set the record for most playoff home runs. Ranking in the top ten all-timers, he had all the reasons to be elected for the lifelong achievement.

While his chances of being inducted into the Hall of Fame were obvious, his history with the sport says otherwise. As a result, Ramírez is expected to fall off the ballot after 2026, ending his BBWAA Hall of Fame chances.

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