The agonizing wait for Atlanta Braves fans to see two of their most beloved icons enshrined in Cooperstown may finally be nearing an end. The Hall of Fame candidacies for Dale Murphy and Andruw Jones have both experienced significant boosts, igniting the soul of the franchise and its faithful.
The Agonizing Wait: Dale Murphy’s Second Chance
Dale Murphy (the main character of the 1980s Braves) is officially back on the Hall of Fame ballot, receiving his “second chance” via the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee.
- The Ballot: Murphy is one of eight players on the 2026 Contemporary Baseball Era Committee Player Ballot, which focuses on players whose primary contributions came since 1980.
- The Case: Murphy’s case is compelling, highlighted by his back-to-back NL MVP Awards (1982, 1983), seven All-Star selections, five Gold Gloves, and four Silver Slugger Awards. Crucially, among the top 13 position players in Baseball-Reference Wins Above Replacement (bWAR) during the 1980s, Murphy is the only one not in the Hall of Fame. His legacy is also heavily supported by his renowned integrity and humanitarian efforts (1988 Clemente Award winner).
- The Hurdle: He needs to receive votes on 75% of the ballots (12 of 16 votes) cast by the committee, which will announce its results on December 7, 2025. Murphy previously appeared on the Era Committee ballot in 2023, receiving approximately 37.5% of the vote, and needs a significant surge this time around.
Knocking on the Door: Andruw Jones’s Surging Momentum
For Andruw Jones, the wait may be nearing an end via the traditional Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) ballot. The defensive wizard is no longer a long shot; he is officially “knocking on the door of baseball heaven.”
- The Momentum: In his eighth year on the BBWAA ballot in 2025, Jones saw a significant jump, finishing with 66.2% of the votes. This was a notable increase from 61.6% in 2024.
- The Case: Jones’s Hall of Fame argument is centered on his defense—he is widely considered the greatest defensive center fielder of all time (winning 10 consecutive Gold Gloves, tied for the most among outfielders) combined with powerful offense (434 career home runs).
- The Urgency: Jones has only two years of eligibility remaining (2026 and 2027) to reach the mandatory 75% threshold. With fewer high-profile first-year candidates (like Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia in 2025) potentially diluting the vote in 2026, many believe next year represents his best chance to gain the final votes needed for induction.
The 2026 Hall of Fame class is set to be one of the most anticipated in Braves history, with the possibility of two Atlanta legends finally claiming their place in Cooperstown.
With Andruw Jones’s Hall of Fame vote percentage climbing rapidly toward 75%, would you like to review the full list of Hall of Famers who spent the majority of their careers with the Atlanta Braves franchise?
