Pete Rose may lose Hall of Fame race to another beloved Reds legend

Despite Dave Parker and Scott Rolen entering Cooperstown recently, the Cincinnati Reds have gone 13-plus years since seeing the wishbone 'C' engraved on a cap in the Hall of Fame. Not since Barry Larkin has an inductee repped Cincinnati, but thanks to commissioner Rob Manfred’s shocking reversal on Pete Rose’s ban, the Reds could see a pair of celebrations before the end of the decade.

With Manfred having decided to allow Rose to be enshrined, The Hit King will almost certainly find his way into the Hall of Fame. The earliest he could be inducted is 2028, following the Eras Committee vote in 2027. Whether the committee will induct Rose, whose scandals extended beyond gambling, is up for some debate. Perhaps they make him (albeit posthumously) wait as they have Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds.

If the Hall of Fame opens its doors to Pete Rose, the late 2020s could be a celebration of Reds baseball

If the writers do punish Rose in their own way, he may be surpassed by another Reds great: Joey Votto. The first baseman has often been knocked for his lackluster counting statistics. He hit fewer homers than teammate — and definitely not a Hall of Famer — Edwin Encarnación. Votto, though, was a consistently elite player, one of the toughest outs in baseball, and seemingly a really good guy.

The question around Votto is not if, but when. It seems unlikely that Votto will get in when he makes his debut on the ballot in 2029. Just four first basemen have gotten the nod on the first ballot: Willie McCovey, Eddie Murray, Frank Thomas, and Jim Thome. Votto’s closest comparison point as far as numbers is Jeff Bagwell, who took seven ballots to find his way into the Hall. Bagwell, though, played during the “Steroid Era,” which may have dulled his candidacy.

If it does take Votto seven ballots to earn his rightful place in Cooperstown, Rose will likely pave the way for him. As long as Charlie Hustle gets five votes from the Eras Committee, he will have a shot every three years. Regardless of when exactly this Reds duo gets the call, Cincinnati fans should have something to celebrate soon after years of snubs.

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