Mets to retire Mike Piazza’s No. 31
The New York Mets will retire Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza’s No. 31 jersey on July 30, the team announced on Monday.
The Mets will honor Piazza with a weekend-long celebration from July 29–31 when New York plays the Colorado Rockies for a four-game series at Citi Field.
Tom Seaver’s 41, Gil Hodges’s 14 and Casey Stengel’s 37 are the only Mets to have their number retired by the team. The team also honors Jackie Robinson’s No. 42.
No player has worn No. 31 since Piazza’s departure from the Mets after the 2005 season.
None of the World Series champions from the 1986 roster have their numbers retired.
Piazza played in the majors from 1992 through 2007 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, Oakland Athletics and Mets. He won National League Rookie of the Year honors in 1993 and named to the 1996 All-Star Game.
He was also a 12-time All-Star, 10-time Silver Slugger Award winner and a National League MVP runner-up in 1996 and 1997. He also holds the record for most home runs by a catcher with 427.
The Mets acquired Piazza from the Marlins in 1998 for Preston Wilson, Ed Yarnall and Geoff Goetz.
Seaver is the first and only Mets player enshrined in the Hall of Fame before Piazza’s election.
- Christopher Chavez
