Former Marlins Slugger Could Hear Name Called for Baseball Hall of Fame

Former Miami Marlins slugger Gary Sheffiled is up for the Baseball Hall of Fame again, this time on the contemporary era ballot.

May 12, 1996; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Florida Marlins right fielder Gary Sheffield (10) in action at the plate in action on the mound against the Colorado Rockies at Dolphin Stadium during the 1996 season. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-Imagn Images | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Former Miami Marlins slugger Gary Sheffield is facing perhaps one of the most significant moments of his life this weekend.

Sheffield will be joining big names like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Jeff Kent, Dale Murphy, Carlos Delgado, and Fernando Valenzuela for the announcement of the Baseball Hall of Fame Contemporary Era player ballot. 

The candidates need 75 percent to be inducted into the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, which will be in July.

Will Gary Sheffield’s Consistency Be Rewarded? 

RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Sheffield played for 22 seasons, and he was one of the best and most intimidating hitters of his generation. His serious demeanor and the way he held his bat at the plate were something no pitcher wanted any part of. 

Many teams were fortunate to have him in the clubhouse, but the Marlins were the luckiest since he played for the organization for five seasons from 1993-98. Those were some of his best years, and he was in his mid-to-late 20s.

Sheffield is undoubtedly one of the Marlins' cornerstone players. He was there when the Marlins franchise got started and played at the old Joe Robbie Stadium. His best statistical season came in 1996, when he posted a slash line of .314/.465/.624 with 42 home runs, 120 RBIs, and a career-high 33 doubles. Gary finished sixth in the NL MVP voting. 

The Marlins didn’t make the playoffs that year, but it prepared them for an unforgettable 1997 season. The Marlins won the wild card and defeated teams such as the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, and Cleveland Indians in a classic Game 7 to win the World Series. 

Sheffield’s contributions in that ‘97 postseason run were massive. In 16 games, he batted .320 with a 1.061 OPS, 16 hits, and drew 20 walks. 

What’s stopping him from getting into the Hall of Fame? A primary reason could be that Sheffield was included many MLB players in the Mitchell Report for using performance-enhancing drugs. Baseball writers have hesitated to vote for him,.

There’s one person who certainly wants him to get in the Hall of Fame, and that’s his former manager from the 1997 team, Jim Leyland, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a manager in 2024. 

Leyland and Sheffield should’ve gone to the hall together. Hopefully, Sheffield will have his moment and join Leyland next summer, bonding with him during the Hall of Fame weekend. They have mutual respect. 

“He changed my life,” Sheffield told Harold Reynolds.

During his tenure with the Marlins, he hit a total of 116 home runs, 465 RBIs, and 670 hits. Overall, he finished his career as a nine-time All Star, five-time Silver Slugger Award winner, 509 career home runs, and a lifetime .292 batting average. 

Sheffield and his family, and Marlins fans who support Sheffield, will be turning in Sunday as the voting results will be announced live tonight on MLB Network at 7:30 ET.