As baseball’s Era Committee prepares to announce its latest Hall of Fame selections, President Donald Trump has stepped in with a familiar refrain — urging baseball officials to finally grant Roger Clemens a place in Cooperstown.
According to Fox News, Clemens, the legendary pitcher known as “The Rocket,” appears on the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee ballot, which evaluates players who made their primary impact after 1980.
Unlike the Baseball Writers Association of America, which previously kept Clemens out, this committee is made up of 16 members who may each vote for up to three candidates. A player must receive 75% support to be inducted.
Clemens shares the ballot with Barry Bonds, Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela.
Trump used his Truth Social platform to insist Clemens deserves induction and to frame his past legal battles as proof of his innocence.
“Roger Clemens, who won 354 games, went through his own Witch Hunt. HE WAS ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES!!! If he doesn’t get into the Hall of Fame, he should sue the hell out of Major League Baseball!” Trump wrote.
He added: “It was the Obama DOJ (of course!) that viciously went after the great Roger Clemens. ROGER WAS FULLY ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES!!!”
Clemens has been denied entry before. In 2022, he garnered only 65.2% of the writers’ votes, well short of the required threshold. His final MLB appearance came in 2007 during a second stint with the New York Yankees.
His career, however, remains one of the most decorated in baseball history. Clemens retired with 354 wins, 4,672 strikeouts, two World Series titles, and seven Cy Young Awards — more than any pitcher in history.
Trump reiterated his support on Saturday, urging the committee to “do the right thing.”
“The Baseball Hall of Fame Committee is voting on admitting new Members TOMORROW… and should do the right thing by finally putting Roger Clemens, known as ‘The Rocket,’ in the Hall!” he wrote.
Trump highlighted Clemens’ résumé, noting his seven Cy Young Awards, six World Series appearances, and his status as the only pitcher with more than 300 wins not already enshrined.
“He never tested positive… and when the Obama DOJ went after him… Roger… was FULLY ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES,” Trump continued. “I sincerely hope that the Committee uses its great judgment… and the Baseball Commissioner has the Strength, Wisdom, and Power to do the right thing… and put Roger Clemens in The Baseball Hall of Fame, IMMEDIATELY!”
Whether the committee follows that plea remains to be seen, but the debate — and Clemens’ controversial legacy — is sure to resurface once the votes are revealed.
