It now appears it’s a question of when, not if, Carlos Beltrán will be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Next year could be his time. The ballot is wide open.

Carlos Beltrán appeared on 70.3% of the ballots Tuesday, leaving the former Mets and Yankees outfielder shy of the 75% required for Hall of Fame election.

Also on the ballot was former superstar outfielder Carlos Beltran. While he missed out on enshrinement this year, he is slated to lead the pack of candidates next season. MLB.com’s Andrew Simon had this to say about Beltran’s vote tally this year and how his current trajectory should get him into Cooperstown in 2026: “Beltrán appears to have set himself up nicely to lead the Class of 2026.