Latest 2026 Hall of Fame rankings show this Blue Jay legend may not get in

Edwin Encarnacion's MLB career didn't get off to a strong start with the Cincinnati Reds. But once Encarnacion was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2009, his career began to turn around before finally taking off as one of the premier power hitters in the 2010's.

Encarnacion is on the MLB Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year and will be looking to get in as part of the 2026 class. However, this new Bleacher Report ranking shows that the chances of Encarnacion getting into Cooperstown may be low.

Encarnacion's credentials don't hold up for Hall of Fame induction according to Bleacher Report

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter wrote an article titled, "Ranking Every Player on the 2026 MLB Hall of Fame Ballot." There were 33 total players that Reuter ranked and out of the 33 players, Reuter ranked Encarnacion as the 16th-best player in his list. "His limited value outside of what he did in the batter's box likely leaves him in the 'Hall of Very Good' category," Reuter said about Encarnacion.

Reuter also called Encarnacion a late-bloomer due to him not having his first 30-home run season until he was 29 years old. Encarnacion's fielding wasn't the greatest either, but he was able to be a productive player by being a terrific designated hitter. Encarnacion finished his MLB career with 424 home runs and driving in 1,261 runs. Encarnacion made three All-Star Games in a four-year span from 2013-2016.

2012 was the first year Encarnacion took off as a Blue Jay. He went from hitting 17 home runs in 2011 to hitting 42 home runs in 2012. Encarnacion then hit at least 30 home runs in every season through 2019, while he eclipsed 40 home runs again in 2016, when he drove in a league high 127 RBIs. In total, Encarnacion had six 100-RBI seasons, and one where he drove in 98 RBIs, averaging 109 RBIs per season from 2012-2018.

Encarnacion is also one of the most sluggers in Blue Jays history as his 239 home runs in Toronto are good for third all-time. Encarnacion is also in the top 10 in Blue Jays history for WAR, runs batted in, slugging percentage, total bases, bases on balls and runs scored.

Most Blue Jay fans will say their favorite Encarnacion moment during his tenure was when he hit a walk-off three-run home run in the 2016 AL Wild Card Game against the Baltimore Orioles, capping off his excellent 2016 season, his final with year with the Blue Jays.

Time will tell whether or not Encarnacion will get into the MLB Hall of Fame. With how his Blue Jays career went and his dominance in the 2010s, it's hard not to consider Encarnacion potentially getting into Cooperstown, but the major numbers that voters look at may have him falling short.