Dwight Gooden (left) and Darryl Strawberry (right)
The New York Mets announced on Thursday that they are retiring the uniform numbers of two foundational members of their 1986 World Series-winning club in slugging outfielder Darryl Strawberry’s No. 18 and ace pitcher Dwight Gooden’s No. 16.
“I’m thrilled that two iconic members of the 1986 championship club will have their numbers retired in 2024,” Mets owner Steve Cohen said. “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.”
Strawberry and Gooden are set to become the sixth and seventh players in Mets franchise history to have their jersey numbers retired, joining Tom Seaver (41), Mike Piazza (31), Jerry Koosman (36), Keith Hernandez (17), and Willie Mays (24).
The franchise has also retired the numbers of 1969 miracle Mets manager Gil Hodges (14), their first-ever manager Casey Stengel (37), and the No. 42 of Jackie Robinson, which is honored across Major League Baseball.
The numbers of Koosman, Hernandez, and Mays have been retired since the arrival of Cohen, who has stressed the importance of preserving the club’s history.
While both of their careers with the Mets were ultimately derailed from their original Hall-of-Fame trajectories due to off-field issues, Strawberry and Gooden are still regarded as two of the very best ever to don blue and orange in Queens.
Strawberry is the franchise’s all-time home-run leader with 252 and ranks second with 733 RBI, 580 walks. A seven-time All-Star, he was the 1983 National League Rookie of the Year by hitting a then-club-rookie-record 26 home runs after being selected No. 1 overall three years earlier.
A two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, he led the National League with 39 home runs in 1988. He was elected into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010.
“When I got the call from Steve, I welled up with tears of joy,”…
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