The New York Mets have announced that they will be retiring former player, captain, and current broadcaster Keith Hernandez‘s iconic number 17 in 2022. They will be doing so on Saturday, July 9, before the game against the Marlins.
Hernandez becomes the fourth player in club history to have his number retired, joining Tom Seaver (#41), Mike Piazza (#31) and Jerry Koosman (#36).
The former first baseman spent six full seasons in New York after being traded from the Cardinals mid-season in 1983. In over 3,100 at-bats with the Mets, Hernandez close to 1,000 hits, 80 home runs, and 468 RBI. He had a slash line of .297/.387/.429, and led the league in walks in 1986. He was a three-time All Star in Queens, and finished second in the MVP voting in the 1984 season.
Hernandez was a crucial piece to the 1986 World Championship Mets, and was seen as a leader in the clubhouse. Davey Johnson named Hernandez the first team captain in club history in 1987, 25 years after the team came into existence.
He also finds himself in the top 10 in almost every statistical category in franchise history. Hernandez is sixth all time in club WAR (26.6), has the second highest team batting average (.297), fourth in on-base percentage (.387), sixth in walks (471), and 10th in RBI (468).
Defensively, Hernandez won six gold gloves with the Mets, the most in franchise history.
Mets fans also hear Hernandez on the Mets broadcasts, as he joins Gary Cohen and Ron Darling in the SNY booth to cover Mets games on television all year long. His time in the booth has only increased the love fans have for the 1986 World Champ, as he brings a unique, fun attitude to the screen that is hard to replicate anywhere else.
In the statement released by the Mets, Hernandez was quoted saying “this is truly a special honor that lasts beyond a lifetime.” He also said that “This is the highest honor an organization can bestow upon a player.”
Steve Cohen, owner of the Mets, provided his commentary on the retirement of the former team captain.
“Keith was the first captain in team history and a great leader and catalyst on that ’86 championship team,” Cohen said. “We made a promise to continue celebrating and honoring our tremendous history and this is another deserving step in that direction.”
In what is going to be the 60th anniversary of the Mets franchise, 2022 is a fitting year to retire one of its most beloved players.
Mets President Sandy Alderson and Keith Hernandez will host a Zoom on Wednesday, January 12 at 1:30 pm ET to talk about the retiring of 17.
