David Ortiz has a chance to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but in one voter’s eyes, he’s not deserving at the moment.
MLB Network insider Jon Heyman left Ortiz off his official ballot, along with former Red Sox Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez, Carl Crawford, and Jonathan Papelbon, among others.
Heyman selected Curt Schilling, Barry Bonds, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, and Scott Rolen. Voters can choose up to 10 players.
First-ballot Hall of Famers are rare but not unheard of. Seven players have received the honor since 2016, including Mariano Rivera – in the first unanimous vote ever – in 2019.