RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesRed Sox Legends Among Top Candidates for 2027 MLB Hall of Fame Ballot originally appeared on NESN .
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The best time of the year is when baseball’s best gather together to honor those who made an impact in the sport. Carlos Beltran, Andruw Jones, and Jeff Kent were immortalized when their names were called to enter the sacred halls of Cooperstown.
All three made an impact in the MLB, whether it be collecting Gold Gloves or Silver Slugger awards. Legends congratulated them as they joined their ranks and became legends themselves.
After the ceremony, the focus shifted to 2027, where ballot veterans and first-timers await their fate.
Next year, Chase Utley and Felix Hernandez will see if their careers are worthy of the Hall of Fame, while Andy Pettitte and Alex Rodriguez still wait to see if their controversial past can be brushed aside and earn glory. Buster Posey will enter the ballot for the first time, giving voters added pressure.
Outside all that, the Red Sox look to have an impact thanks to a few Boston legends. While there will be stars who have put on a Red Sox uniform on the ballot, like Josh Reddick, Andrew Miller, and Pablo Sandoval, two stand out the most.
Red Sox legends on 2027 MLB Hall of Fame ballot
Dustin Pedroia
Year on ballot in 2027: 3rd
Next year’s ballot, with Posey seemingly being the only guaranteed first-year inductee, could see Dustin Pedroia potentially get the call to Cooperstown.
In his first year on the ballot, Pedroia got 11.9% of Hall of Fame votes. In 2026, he got 20.7%, a significant boost for the former second baseman. To help his case, Andruw Jones started with 7.3% of the vote and was just recently enshrined.
Pedroia is an interesting case. The 5-foot-9 star is a former Rookie of the Year and MVP, with four All-Star appearances. He hit over 140 home runs, had over 1,800 hits, and ended his career with a .299/.365/.439 slash line. Injuries affected the latter half of his career, but there’s no denying that, when healthy, he was one of the most consistent players in baseball.
He was part of the Red Sox's championship success in the 2000s and 2010s, winning two World Series titles. Diving deeper, Pedroia’s 51.6 bWAR is better than several second basemen in the Hall of Fame. So while his stats aren’t as “typical” as a traditional Hall of Fame career, Pedroia can make a run, whether it be in 2027 or beyond.
Jon Lester
Year on ballot in 2027: 1st
Joining the ballot next year is another interesting case in former Red Sox ace Jon Lester.
In nine years in Boston, Lester was one of the most durable starters in baseball. When he got traded in 2014, he left the team with a 110-63 record with a 3.64 ERA and 1,386 strikeouts. He rose from a draft pick to an anchor in the rotation. And after returning from an anaplastic large cell lymphoma diagnosis, he helped secure the Red Sox a 2007 World Series ring. Don’t forget throwing a no-hitter at Fenway in 2008.
Lester would finish his career with 200 wins, 2,488 strikeouts, and a 3.66 ERA. As he did in Boston, he helped lead the Cubs to the club's first World Series win in 108 years.
For a first-timer, his Hall of Fame case is strong. Given the field, it will be interesting to see how the voters look at Lester’s dominant career.
2027 MLB Hall of Fame Ballot: First-Time Candidates
Player Pos Primary Team(s) Buster Posey C Giants Jon Lester LHP Red Sox, Cubs Ryan Zimmerman 3B/1B Nationals Kyle Seager 3B Mariners Brett Gardner OF Yankees Jake Arrieta RHP Cubs, Orioles Jay Bruce OF Reds, Mets Asdrúbal Cabrera INF Guardians, Nationals Starlin Castro INF Cubs, Yankees Wade Davis RHP Royals, Cubs Dexter Fowler OF Rockies, Cubs Todd Frazier 3B Reds, White Sox J.A. Happ LHP Blue Jays, Yankees Scott Kazmir LHP Rays, Angels Jonathan Lucroy C Brewers, Rangers Andrew Miller LHP Guardians, Yankees Pablo Sandoval 3B/1B Giants Joakim Soria RHP Royals Jordan Zimmermann RHP Nationals More Red Sox
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