Reliever Adam Ottavino started his New York Yankees career with something never done in the team's long history
In announcing the three-year deal for the 33-year-old, it was revealed that he will wear No. 0, the number he wore in Colorado. No Yankee has ever worn the number -- not Otis Nixon, not Oscar Gamble, not even Dick Tidrow.
In fact, No. 0 is the only single-digit number that isn't retired by the team. Most recently, Derek Jeter's No. 2 was retired in 2017. New York has also retired Nos. 1 (Billy Martin), 3 (Babe Ruth), 4 (Lou Gehrig), 5 (Joe DiMaggio), 6 (Joe Torre), 7 (Mickey Mantle), 8 (Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey) and 9 (Roger Maris).
Owner Hal Steinbrenner had to approve of Ottavino's number selection.
In announcing the three-year deal for the 33-year-old, it was revealed that he will wear No. 0, the number he wore in Colorado. No Yankee has ever worn the number -- not Otis Nixon, not Oscar Gamble, not even Dick Tidrow.
In fact, No. 0 is the only single-digit number that isn't retired by the team. Most recently, Derek Jeter's No. 2 was retired in 2017. New York has also retired Nos. 1 (Billy Martin), 3 (Babe Ruth), 4 (Lou Gehrig), 5 (Joe DiMaggio), 6 (Joe Torre), 7 (Mickey Mantle), 8 (Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey) and 9 (Roger Maris).
Owner Hal Steinbrenner had to approve of Ottavino's number selection.