Legendary former MLB outfielder Ichiro Suzuki missed becoming a unanimous first-ballot Hall of Famer by a single vote, with the identity of the dissenting voter remaining undisclosed. The Baseball Writers' Association of America unveiled 321 of 394 Hall of Fame ballots for the 2025 class, confirming that Suzuki received support on all submitted ballots, as reported by the Associated Press.

Suzuki leads the 2025 Hall of Fame class, which also includes former star pitcher CC Sabathia and former closer Billy Wagner. Additionally, notable players Dave Parker and Dick Allen garnered elections through the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. The induction ceremony is scheduled to take place in Cooperstown on July 27.

Upon learning that he appeared on 393 out of the total 394 ballots, the 51-year-old Suzuki responded with commendable poise. "There's one writer that I wasn't able to get a vote from," he shared through a translator last month. "I would like to invite him over to my house, and we'll have a drink together, and we'll have a good chat." Mariano Rivera, a former closer for the New York Yankees, remains the only player in history to attain 100 percent of the Hall of Fame vote from the BBWAA, having received votes on all 425 ballots for the 2019 class. Another Yankees icon, Derek Jeter, secured 395 out of 396 votes in 2020. Despite the near miss, Suzuki's career is undeniably deserving of unanimous selection, highlighted by accolades including American League Rookie of the Year, MVP honors in his inaugural season with the Seattle Mariners, and ten selections as an All-Star, along with ten Gold Glove Awards and two AL batting championships. The decision to disclose ballot voting remains at the discretion of the voters, leaving open the possibility that the solitary voter who omitted Suzuki may choose to identify themselves in the future.