The New York Yankees announced on Tuesday that they will retire the No. 21 worn by outfielder Paul O’Neill in a ceremony before their game on Sunday, Aug. 21 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
All guests in attendance will receive a commemorative “Paul O’Neill Day” game ticket.
O’Neill becomes the 23rd player to join the lengthy list of numbers retired by the Yankees and is the first to receive the honor since Derek Jeter in May of 2017. He is also the eighth member of the Yankees to appear during the 1990s to have his number retired: Jeter (No. 2), Don Mattingly (No. 23), Andy Pettitte (No. 46), Jorge Posada (No. 20), Mariano Rivera (No. 42), Bernie Williams (No. 51) and Manager Joe Torre (No. 6).
The Ultimate Warrior. pic.twitter.com/wldIkgyjSq
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) February 22, 2022
After coming over from the Cincinnati Reds in 1993, O’Neill played the final nine seasons of his 17-year MLB career with the Yankees, winning four World Series (1996, 1998-2000) and winning five American League pennants. He batted .303 with 304 doubles, 185 home runs, 858 RBI, a .377 on-base percentage, and an .869 OPS.
Nicknamed “The Warriors,” the four-time AL All-Star also won a league batting title in 1994 when he posted a .359 batting average. With a 1.064 OPS that year along with 21 home runs and 83 RBI, he finished fifth in the American League MVP voting.
O’Neill currently serves as an analyst for Yankees games on YES Network.
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