Mike Mussina’s approval rating has gradually climbed to the point he’s within striking distance of the Hall of Fame. Whether the former Yankees pitcher belongs to the Class of 2019 will be known Tuesday, when the Baseball Writers’ Association of America releases its voting results around 6 p.m.
Last year, his fifth on the ballot, Mussina received 63.5 percent of the vote and made significant strides in closing the gap toward induction. A candidate must receive 75 percent of the vote for enshrinement into Cooperstown. Mussina received only 20.3 percent of the vote during his first year on the ballot, in 2014.