Billy Wagner Elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame

HOUSTON, TX - Former Astros All-Star Billy Wagner was one of the most feared and dominant closers in Major League history. Today, his dominance was rewarded as he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Wagner and the rest of this year’s newly-selected Hall of Famers will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, on Sunday, July 27. 

Wagner, who was in his 10th and final season on the Hall of Fame ballot, has seen a significant increase in his vote totals in recent years, going from 16.7% of the vote in 2019 to 33.2% in 2020, 46.4% in 2021, 51% in 2022 , 68.1% in 2023 and 73.8% in 2024.

With today’s announcement, Wagner becomes the third player voted into the Hall of Fame who played all or the majority of his Major League games in an Astros uniform, joining Craig Biggio (2015) and Jeff Bagwell (2017).

WAGNER’ S DOMINANCE

During his 16-year career, Wagner was one of the most dominant and hardest-throwing closers in Major League history. His career statistics top those of all but one Hall of Fame reliever in several key categories. In his 903.0 career innings pitched, Wagner allowed just 601 hits while tallying 1,196 strikeouts. Additional evidence of Wagner’s dominance are his 11.92 SO/9 innings pitched ratio and .187 opponent batting average, both of which are, by far, the best career totals of ANY pitcher, starter or reliever, in Major League history in those categories (min. 900 IP). His 0.997 career WHIP is third-best all-time among all hurlers in ML history (min. 900 IP).    

A seven-time All-Star, Wagner’s 2.31 career ERA ranks second among Hall of Fame relievers, his 85.9 career save percentage is third and his 422 career saves are fourth.

Wagner had several stellar seasons, with one of his most memorable occurring in 1999. That season, he had 39 saves with a 1.57 ERA while punching out 124 batters in 74.2 innings pitched and allowing just 35 hits. His .135 opponent batting average and 14.95 SO/9 innings pitched totals were the best in Major League history for a single season at the time, while his 0.78 WHIP was fourth-best in ML history. His 1999 campaign was unquestionably one of the most dominant seasons ever by a closer, earning him a fourth-place finish in the NL Cy Young voting that season.

MORE WAGNER 

Wagner was also a model of consistency throughout his entire career, posting an ERA of 2.52 or below in nine seasons and of 2.85 or below in 15 of his 16 seasons, topping that number only once in a season cut short due to an injury (2000). He also had four campaigns with an ERA below 2.00. Wagner reached 40 saves twice and 30 or more saves nine times in his career.

In his last Major League season in 2010, Wagner topped off his outstanding career with one of the best final seasons of any pitcher in Major League history, posting a 7-2 record in 71 appearances with 37 saves and 104 strikeouts in just 69.1 innings of work. He also posted a career low 1.43 ERA and an 0.87 WHIP while allowing just 38 hits for a .159 opponent batting average.

OFFENSIVE ERA

Making Wagner’s dominance even more impressive is that he pitched during an era of record-setting offensive production. As an example, in Wagner’s first full season (1996), six clubs scored over 900 runs and 11 scored over 800 runs. In 2024, no clubs reached 900 runs and just three scored over 800 runs. In 1996, the combined league average was .270. In 2024 it was .243. In 1996, Seattle led the Majors with a .287 team average. In 2024, San Diego led the Majors with a .263 team average, which would have ranked 12th in 1996. Strikeouts is another category with a significant difference. In 1996, Detroit led the Majors in strikeouts with 1,268. In 2024, 23 clubs had more strikeouts than the Tigers had in 1996. On average, teams struck out 6.46 times per game in 1996, compared to 8.48 times per game in 2024. In a nutshell, when Wagner pitched, teams scored more runs, hit for a higher average and struck out far less frequently than in 2024, making Wagner’s career ERA, opponents batting average and strikeouts per 9.0 innings ratio even more impressive. 

UNIQUE CAREER PATH 

Wagner has one of the most unique backstories of any successful pitcher in Major League history. He originally threw with his right arm. However, after breaking his right arm twice when he was seven years old while growing up in Virginia, he taught himself to throw with his left arm by throwing a baseball against the wall of a barn. 

CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL 

During his career, Wagner developed a reputation as a standup guy with members of the media. He was available in good times and in challenging times and often provided candid, thoughtful quotes. 

EARLY CAREER 

Despite an outstanding, record-setting career as a pitcher at Tazewell High School in Virginia, Wagner, because of his small stature, did not attract any attention from Major League scouts nor did he receive any offers from Division I colleges. Instead, Wagner would attend Ferrum College, where, in 1992, he would set single-season, NCAA records for strikeouts per nine innings (19.1) and fewest hits allowed per nine innings (1.88). His success earned him a spot on the Brewster Whitecaps roster in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League where he continued to shine. That summer, he was named the league’s most outstanding pro prospect. 

HOUSTON ASTROS CAREER 

The Houston Astros took notice of Wagner’s talent, selecting him in the first round of the 1993 June Draft. Although he became a Major League All-Star as a closer, Wagner pitched exclusively as a starter in the Astros minor league system from 1993 until making his Major League debut in relief on Sept. 13, 1995 vs. the Mets at Shea Stadium. In that appearance, he retired the one batter that he faced. He began the 1996 season in Triple A before being called up on for good June 4. 

Wagner would end up pitching nine (1995-2003) of his 16 Major League seasons in an Astros uniform, setting several single-season and all-time franchise records along the way. His 225 saves are the most in franchise history. In his Astros career, he posted a 2.53 ERA in 464 games while tallying 694 strikeouts in just 504.1 innings pitched. Additionally, his career numbers in opponent average (.186), strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitched (12.38) and WHIP (1.04) are all number one in franchise history. In 2020, Wagner was voted into the Astros Hall of Fame. 

WAGNER BY THE NUMBERS

**Career 11.92 SO/9 IP ratio, .187 opponent batting average and 5.99 hits/9IP ratio are the best of ANY pitcher in ML history (min. 900 IP). His .558 career opponent OPS ranks second all-time.

**His 2.31 career ERA is second all-time in the live-ball era (min. 900 IP).

**Career 0.997 WHIP is third among all pitchers in ML history (min. 900 IP).

**1,196 career strikeouts are the most ever by a left-handed reliever.

**422 career saves are 4th among HOF relievers. 85.9% save percentage ranks 3rd.

**Reached 30 or more saves nine times in his career and 40 or more saves twice.

**Named to seven All-Star teams.

**Posted an ERA under 2.00 in four different seasons.

**Posted an ERA of 2.85 or below in 15 of his 16 ML seasons, and 2.52 or below in nine seasons.

**Posted a WHIP under 0.90 in six full seasons and under 1.00 in seven full seasons. 

**In what was an historic 1999 season, his 14.95 SO/9 IP ratio and .135 opponents batting average both were the

best single-season totals in ML history at that time. In his 74.2 innings, he allowed just 35 hits while striking out

124 batters. He also tallied 39 saves with a 1.57 ERA. Finished 4th in Cy Young voting.

**From 1997-99, he posted what were at the time three of the four highest SO/9IP ratios in ML history: 14.38, 14.55 and 14.95, respectively (min. 50 apps).

**Had one of the most dominant final seasons in ML history in 2010. In addition to posting a career-best 1.43 ERA, he also had 37 saves, an 0.87 WHIP and a .159 opponent batting average, allowing just 38 hits in 69.1 innings pitched while striking out 104 batters.