It was long overdue, but the New York Mets are honoring two of their greatest players ever during the upcoming season.
Pitcher Dwight Gooden (number 16) and outfielder Darryl Strawberry (number 18) will have their numbers retired in two separate ceremonies at Citi Field. The announcement of the jersey retirements was made on August 24, 2023, but the Mets officially released the dates on Wednesday.
Gooden's ceremony will take place on Sunday, April 14 against the Kansas City Royals in the last game of a three-game set; Strawberry's ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 1, the third game of a four-game series versus the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Mets will have ten retired numbers after Gooden and Strawberry are immortalized, including Jackie Robinson's league-wide number 42. Prior to 2020, the team had only retired four numbers (five when including Robinson), those being Casey Stengel's number 37, Gil Hodges's number 14, Tom Seaver's number 41, and Mike Piazza's number 31. William Shea and Ralph Kiner's names were also honored.
Since Steve Cohen purchased the team in October 2020, he has made a great effort to recognize and reconnect with past legends of the franchise. The Mets have already held three jersey retirement ceremonies in Cohen's three seasons of ownership; Jerry Koosman's number 36 was retired in 2021, while Keith Hernandez (number 17) and Willie Mays (number 24) were celebrated in 2022. Bob Murphy was also honored by name in 2023.
When Hernandez received his long-overdue jersey retirement on July 9, 2022, it was only a matter of time before Gooden and Strawberry's numbers would adorn Citi Field's roof facade.
“I’m thrilled that two iconic members of the 1986 championship club will have their numbers retired in 2024,” Cohen said in August, when he first announced the ceremonies. "Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden each had an enormous impact on our franchise and it’s my honor to continue our commitment to celebrating our wonderful history.”
Both Gooden and Strawberry showed their gratitude during Wednesday's Zoom conference, presented by SNY.
"It's the highest honor you can get from a team," Gooden said.
"Having your number retired, it's bigger than going into the Hall of Fame," Strawberry said.
More must-reads: