Former Yankee Andy Pettitte discusses Hall of Fame chances after massive vote jump

TAMPA, Fla. — Andy Pettitte said the Hall of Fame — and him possibility getting inducted into it — wasn’t something he seriously pondered since he debuted on the ballot in 2019.

It never seemed real.

But, after garnering just 9.9% of the vote in his first year of eligibility, and only increasing moderately from there, it suddenly became real this winter.

That’s because, in his eighth year of eligibility, Pettitte experienced a dramatic jump in voter support — from 27.9% in 2025 to 48.5% in 2026.

Pettitte still needs more votes to reach the 75% threshold that is required for induction, but a 20-plus percentage jump in one year, and with two years left on the ballot, the chances of induction are no longer zero as they appeared for much of his eligibility.

“I never even paid attention to it because I was at like 13% or something like that, so you never even looked at it much,” Pettitte told Newsday shortly before departing for the World Baseball Classic where, for the second straight tournament, he will serve as the pitching coach for Team USA. “So now, obviously, people talk to me about it and it seems like it’s gaining momentum. Man, I can’t lie. Now, when it’s going on, you kind of notice what’s going on. And it’s awesome. I’m so appreciative of it. Still a long ways away, but it’s been cool to see that people are voting for me.”

Pettitte, who retired following the 2013 season after going 256-153 with a 3.85 ERA in 18 years in the big leagues, including 15 with the Yankees, has been a team adviser since 2023. The lefthander, now 53 and a grandfather multiple times over, is a consistent presence around the club, not only during lengthy portions of spring training but during various points of the regular season.

And current pitchers can’t get enough of talking to Pettitte, a three-time All-Star, five-time World Series champion and Major League Baseball’s all-time leader in postseason wins (19).

“Someone that’s been there, done that. He knows exactly how we’re feeling out there,” said lefty ace Max Fried, who is entering his second season with the Yankees and has grown close with Pettitte. “Doesn’t matter the size of the game, he’s pitched a bunch of them. There isn’t a moment that is too big that he hasn’t felt, and being able to throw ideas and getting his opinion of that, it’s extremely helpful.”

Fried, who possesses the best pickoff move by a Yankees lefthander since Pettitte — who, for the record, believes Fried’s is better though the active pitcher doesn’t agree — is 92-41 with a 3.03 ERA in nine seasons in the majors.

But it isn’t just experienced pitchers like Fried who appreciate Pettitte being around.

Will Warren, the 26-year-old righthander coming off a first full season in the majors in which he made 33 starts (tied for the AL lead with teammate Carlos Rodon and Yusei Kikuchi), has talked extensively with Pettitte the last few seasons (as have Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt, Cam Schlittler, etc.)

“He’s been in our shoes and did it for a really long time at a really high level,” Warren said. “So he opens his mouth, you’re going to listen to him. He plays catch with us in New York and the fact he’s willing to grab a glove and play catch and he’ll finish playing catch with you and be like, ‘Hey this is what I saw. The stuff was electric.’ Or, ‘You were pulling the front side.’ It’ll be something like that and [you’re thinking], ‘He doesn’t have to do this.’ I’m very grateful to have him around the clubhouse.”

And, needless to say, if Pettitte’s Hall of Fame candidacy was subject to a vote in the Yankees’ clubhouse, it would be unanimous.

“It would be incredible. Just an amazing person,” Fried said. “What he was able to do in his career, not many get to do that. He’s one of the best that we’ve seen in this game, and I’m hoping for the best for him.”

Try as he might not to, Pettitte has pondered what it would be like to receive the call from the Hall some future January.

“I really can’t wrap my head around it, but it would be amazing,” Pettitte said. “Obviously, what an honor that would be.”

Lombard goes deep, Gil improves

George Lombard Jr. continued his impressive spring Wednesday with a pair of hits off Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, including a 392-foot leadoff homer that sailed over the replica Green Monster and entirely out of JetBlue Park. Lombard jumped on a 96.8 mph fastball from Crochet for the home run, then later dented him for a 108.5-mph single in the third inning of the Yankees’ 4-0 victory. He’s 4-for-12 with a 1.196 OPS in six Grapefruit League games.

“It’s always good getting to face the elite guys in the league,” Lombard said.

On the mound, Luis Gil showed an uptick in velocity and sharper repertoire, striking out six and allowing two hits over three scoreless innings in his third Grapefruit League start. Gil’s fastball hovered in the 96-mph range and he got up to 98 in whiffing Trevor Story to end the third inning on his final pitch of the day.

“Every single outing in the spring gets you closer to where you want to be,” Gil said through an interpreter. “The routine and the work is very important. We’ve been able to do that consistently and I think it’s leading me in the right direction.”

Newsday's David Lennon contributed to this story

By Erik Boland

erik.boland@newsday.comeboland11

Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.