Venezuela WBC Champions, Three Players Enter Baseball Hall of Fame

The Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame inducted the 2026 World Baseball Classic championship team and three former Major League players on September 16. The Historical Committee unanimously elected the national squad, while the Contemporary Committee voted in pitcher Francisco Rodríguez, outfielder Endy Chávez, and utility player Tomás Pérez.

Rodríguez received 78% of the vote from the journalists' panel, Chávez garnered 76%, and Pérez reached the 75% threshold required for entry. Hall of Fame president Juan José Ávila announced the selections in a statement released by the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.

“The Historical Committee unanimously elevated the Venezuela team that won the past edition of the World Baseball Classic.”

Known as "El Kid," Rodríguez saved 437 games over 16 MLB seasons, ranking fourth all-time behind Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, and Lee Smith. He won a World Series with the Anaheim Angels in 2002 and led the American League in saves three times.

Chávez spent 20 seasons with the Navegantes del Magallanes in the Venezuelan league, earning renown for his defensive prowess in the outfield. Pérez built a reputation as a reliable utility infielder across a lengthy professional career.

Venezuela captured its first Classic title by defeating the United States 3-2 in the 2026 final, clinched by a ninth-inning RBI double from Eugenio Suárez. Manager Omar López and pitching coach Johan Santana guided the team through Japan, the Dominican Republic, and Italy en route to the championship.