Yankees that have the best shot of making the Hall of Fame in 2018

Seven former Yankees are listed on the official Hall of Fame Ballot for 2018. Who has the best shot at being inducted this year?

It’s that time of the offseason, Hall of Fame mania. The new ballot has just been released, with 33 players eligible to receive votes. Seven of those 33 players have spent part of their careers in the Bronx, with the Yankees.

Johnny Damon, Andruw Jones, Hideki Matsui, and Kerry Wood are all on the ballot for the first time, while Roger Clemens, Mike Mussina and Gary Sheffield all make a return appearance.

Johnny Damon surprisingly, has a good Hall of Fame case, but with the crowded ballot, probably won’t get elected in 2018. Damon racked up 2,769 hits during his 18-year career, slashed .284/.351/.433 with 235 home runs, 1,139 RBI and 408 stolen bases.

He collected 72 postseason hits, including 10 home runs and put together a .276 batting average. Damon also won two World Series titles, one with the Red Sox in 2004 and another with the Yankees in 2009.

Damon might have a shot down the road but would need a rather weak class to gain immortality.

Andruw Jones spent the last two years of his career in the Bronx and is noted as one of the best defensive centerfielders of his time. Jones collected 10 Gold Gloves during his 17-year career, to go along with 434 home runs and 1,289 RBI.

Despite making the postseason 11 times, Jones never won a World Series championship. Jones might have the best shot at making Cooperstown of the other former Yankees’ rookies on the ballot.

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Hideki Matsui spent seven of his 10 years in the major leagues as a member of the Yankee and is most remembered for taking home the 2009 World Series MVP.

In the six-game series, Matsui hit .615 with three home runs and eight RBI to lead the Yankees to their 27^th World Series title. While Matsui doesn’t have monumental career numbers, he had a steady career and opened the door for other Japanese players to enter the U.S.. Matsui will receive votes, but likely will not make the hall.

Kerry Wood had a short-lived Yankees career, only throwing 26 innings for the Bombers back in 2010. The 1998 National League Rookie of the Year put up a career record of 86-75 with a 3.67 ERA.

On May 6, 1998, Wood threw arguably the greatest game in the history of baseball. He struck out 20 batters, tying a major league record, and allowed only one hit in the process.

Wood was converted to a reliever later in his career, racking up 63 saves. Had Wood stayed healthy and duplicated his rookie season, he could have gone down as one of the best pitchers ever.

Roger Clemens is making his sixth appearance on the ballot after racking up 54.1% of the vote in 2017. The seven-time Cy Young award winner, including 2001 with the Yankees, has the numbers to make the hall — 354 wins, a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts across 4,916.2 innings.

The obvious link with steroids has hurt Clemens in the past, but voters are showing signs of being more forgiving each year.

The Rocket has a good shot at making the Hall of Fame someday but will need a big jump for 2018 to be the year.

Mike Mussina had an impressive 18-year career, including eight seasons in the Bronx.

Mussina compiled a record of 270-153 with an ERA of 3.68. He threw 3,562.2 innings over his career, recording 2,813 strikeouts. However, his lack of the big game numbers goes against him, and that has hurt his outlook.

After picking up 51.8% of the vote in 2017, his fifth-year on the ballot in 2018 should see the right-hander jump closer to a shot at Cooperstown.

Gary Sheffield is another guy hurt by his rumored use of steroids. He slugged 509 home runs over his 22-year career, driving in 1,676 runs and recorded 2,698 hits.

The 1997 World Series champion got 13.3% of the vote last year, and 2018 will be his fourth time on the ballot. Sheffield’s Hall of Fame chances is slim at best.

It is likely that none of the seven former Yankees will make the Hall of Fame in 2018.

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Andruw Jones and Roger Clemens have the best shots at being enshrined but will need a few more years to earn their place. Johnny Damon might make it later on down the road — and as for the others, they likely never see their names next to the games all-time greats.

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