A's Players Switching Numbers for 2025

The Athletics have had an interesting offseason, bringing in starters Luis Severino via free agency, and Jeffrey Springs in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, while also adding veteran reliever José Leclerc on a one-year deal. The A's also signed third baseman Gio Urshela to a one year pact.

While veterans typically get their say in which numbers they wear, only one of those incoming players will be taking a previously used number, while another three players will be switching their numbers as well.

Tyler Ferguson

In his rookie season, Tyler Ferguson rocked the No. 65 jersey with the A's, but in 2025 that will be changing. According to the team's transactions page, as well as the roster page, his new number will be 44.

Number 65 is not currently set to be worn by anybody with the A's, and it's only a fairly recent number for the club. The first time it was used by an A's player was in 2009, when Jon Meloan donned it. That was also the last number that he wore.

The last player to wear 65 before Ferguson had been A's closer Trevor May during the 2023 season, with Deolis Guerra getting it in 2021, and Seth Brown wearing it when he debuted in 2019.

Jesús Luzardo is the most prominent A's player to wear 44 in recent years, but if we go back just a little bit, it was also worn by Santiago Casilla from 2007-09, Erubiel Durazo from 2003-05, and closers Jason Isringhausen (2001) and Billy Koch (2002). The number was also worn by Willie McCovey in 1976 in his stint with Oakland, and by Reggie Jackson when he came back in 1987.

Hogan Harris

Hogan Harris will also be changing his number, going from 63 to 36. This is a classic number flip, where a player will keep the same gist with their new number, though it has changed. Think Alex Rodríguez when he went to the New York Yankees, going from 3 to 13.

According to the A's roster page, there is nobody that has taken the number 63, so this also appears to be of his own volition. The reasoning could be as simple as the number he's wanted, 36, being taken in previous seasons. Last season it was veteran Ross Stripling who had the digits, and before that it was Spenser Watkins and Adam Oller.

The last season that the No. 36 was not in use for the A's was back in 2016. Derek Norris wore it from 2012-2014, but the most prominent player to have worn 36 in the green and gold has to be long-time catcher Terry Steinbach from 1986-96.

Brett Harris

Brett Harris is switching from double sevens to double ones, or from 77 to 11. The number 77 is one of the least-used in A's history, with only three players having worn it, and nobody has done so for more than one season. Joining Harris in the 77 club are Jonah Bride (2022) and Jordan Norberto (2012).

The last A's player to wear the No. 11 was Shintaro Fujinami in 2023, and before him, Skye Bolt in 2022. This is also the number of Frank Menechino (2000-04) and Billy Beane (1989).

When Harris puts on his number 11 jersey, it will be the 98th time that the number has been worn by an A's player. Some players have worn it for multiple seasons, so it hasn't been 98 players, and it has been worn by two players in the same year, so it won't be the 98th season either. Still, it's up there in terms of usage.

Mitch Spence

Spence's number change actually comes because of the addition of Severino, who will be taking over the number 40 jersey for the A's. The new A's right-hander has also worn the No. 40 in New York with both the Mets and Yankees.

Spence will be switching to Matt Olson's No. 28. Since Olson's departure it was worn by Billy McKinney (2022), Manny Piña (2023), and Daz Cameron (2024). Before Olson, Eric Sogard wore it from 2012-2015.

As for the number 40, Rickey Honeycutt wore it for Oakland from 1987-93, and again in 1995. Since then, Rich Harden (2003-08), Andrew Bailey (2009-11), and Chris Bassitt (2015-2021) have also worn the No. 40.