Edwin Díaz Picked new Jersey Number With Dodgers for Sentimental Reasons

Los Angeles, CA - December 12: Former New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz, center, tries on the LosAngeles Dodgers jersey with help from Andrew Friedman, left, President of baseball operations and Brandon Gomes, General manager at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, December 12, 2025. | Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group

On the heels of Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts downplaying the likelihood of his team making a splash in free agency this offseason, they signed Edwin Díaz to a record-setting contract.

Díaz was projected to sign a new deal of at least four years, but he joined the Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million contract. Díaz's contract made MLB history with the highest average annual value (AAV) for a relief pitcher at $23 million.

During his first Dodgers press conference, Díaz spoke with excitement over joining the back-to-back World Series champions and cited how appealing being able to sign with a "winning organization" was.

All of that was despite the reality that Díaz would need to wear a new jersey number for the first time in his MLB career. Díaz settled on switching to No. 3 with the Dodgers in what he deemed an "easy" decision.

"I talked to my wife, and we've got three kids, so that's the reason I picked number three, because my three sons," Díaz explained. "I was hoping to get 39, but after I checked, the number was retired. So they sent me the list of numbers, and I think that was the most obvious for me because I've got three sons."

Chris Taylor was the last Dodgers player to wear No. 3, doing so from 2016-25.

The Dodgers retired No. 39 for Roy Campanella on June 4, 1972. The ceremony at Dodger Stadium also included Sandy Koufax’s No. 32 and Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 getting retired as well.

Although Díaz is going to be in a new jersey number, his electric entrance song, “Narco,” by Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet.

Like Díaz, fellow Dodgers newcomer Kyle Tucker also was met with needing to change his number after signing. Tucker inquired on possibly taking No. 30 from manager Dave Roberts before settling on wearing 23 to honor former Houston Astros teammate Michael Brantley.

Edwin Díaz jersey number history

Díaz made his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners during the 2016 season and immediately wore No. 30. That was his jersey number over the next two seasons and Díaz continued to wear 30 upon signing with the New York Mets on a five-year, $102 million contract that was the richest deal for a relief pitcher in MLB history.

The three-time Relief Pitcher of the Year (once in the American League, twice in National League) ultimately was available to the Mets three seasons over a four-year stretch. He missed the entire 2023 season after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his right knee during the World Baseball Classic.

Díaz became a free agent this offseason by opting out of his Mets contract and now is poised to wear No. 3 for the first time in his career.