Yankees running out of numbers

The New York Yankees announced on Tuesday that they would retire Paul O’Neill’s number 21 during a pre-game ceremony at Monument Park, Yankee Stadium.

The former outfielder, a key piece on the roster of the most successful Yankees teams of the past 25 to 30 years, will receive one of the greatest honors a player can enjoy: having his number retired.

He won four World Series titles with the Yankees: 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000, before losing the 2001 Fall Classic and retiring.

Only LaTroy Hawkins used his number 21 for a short time in 2008.

While the Yankees certainly have a long history as MLB’s most successful franchise, they may run out of numbers.

“With the announcement that O’Neill’s number 21 will be retired, the only active numbers for the Yankees between 1 and 25 are 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 22, 24 and 25,” MLB. reported Mark Feinsand of com.

With the announcement of O’Neill’s retirement of No. 21, the only active numbers for the Yankees between 1 and 25 are 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 22, 24 and 25.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) February 22, 2022

Yankees past numbers

Indeed, the Yankees have a long list of retired numbers:

1: Billy Martin, August 10, 1986

2: Derek Jeter, May 14, 2017

3: Babe Ruth, June 13, 1948

4: Lou Gehrig, July 4, 1939

5: Joe DiMaggio, April 18, 1952

6: Joe Torre, August 23, 2014

7: Mickey Mantle, June 8, 1969

8: Yogi Berra, July 22, 1972

8: Bill Dickey, July 22, 1972

9: Roger Maris, July 22, 1984

10: Phil Rizzuto, August 4, 1985

15: Thurman Munson, September 20, 1980

16: Whitey Ford, August 3, 1974

20: Jorge Posada, August 22, 2015

23: Don Mattingly, August 31, 1997

32: Elston Howard, July 22, 1984

37: Casey Stengel, August 8, 1970

42: Mariano Rivera, September 22, 2013

44: Reggie Jackson, August 14, 1993

46: Andy Pettitte, August 23, 2015

49: Ron Guidry, August 23, 2003

51: Bernie Williams, May 24, 2015

O’Neill will join that list on August 21.

While most fans supported the Yankees’ decision to retire O’Neill’s number, a small percentage criticized it, saying the team could run out of numbers if they continued.

Either way, it’s a way to recognize the career of a truly beloved member of the organization in one of the franchise’s most successful periods: the late ’90s.