Yankees legend Hideki Matsui played seven seasons for the Yankees. It wasn’t until his final one, in 2009, with the addition of lefty ace CC Sabathia, that he managed to get that elusive World Series ring.

The Japanese superstar more than made the cut for Cooperstown enshrinement — along with ex-Yankees great CC Sabathia and former Mets closer Billy Wagner — coming up just one vote short

Ichiro Suzuki has become the first Japanese player to make it to baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is likely to be the next.