Sports rivalries are iconic but even more impactful are the friendships. Once upon a time, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez had it. Unfortunately, they only became teammates after their relationship had already gone sour. Twenty years later, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani wear the same Los Angeles Angels red and white, keeping their friendship alive. But there’s an interesting story behind their jersey numbers.

Ohtani may or may not be an Angels player after this season, but his number 17 will remain iconic and so will his friendship with Trout, who he defeated in the 2023 edition of the World Baseball Classic. Interestingly, the 11x All-Star also played a role in deciding Ohtani’s jersey number.

Shohei Ohtani wanted Mike Trout’s jersey number

Wearing digits on one’s back may seem random but to an athlete, it’s of the utmost significance. Some, like Jeter, accepted whatever comes their way – he wore no. 2 because it was the only available jersey in his size at the time. But some, like Marcus Stroman, who wore No. 6 with the Blue Jays to honor his grandmother, have sentimental reasons.

While Ohtani didn’t reveal his motives, when he was introduced as an Angels player, the Japanese sensation got candid about what number he truly wanted. Jeff Fletcher writes in his book, Sho-time: The Inside Story of Shohei Ohtani and the Greatest Baseball Season Ever Played, about the moment, “When asked why he had picked number 17, he said, “I actually wanted 27, but somebody else was wearing that number.” That someone else was Mike Trout, the Angels superstar outfielder.”

In the same ceremony, the two-way sensation also went on to congratulate Trout, who at the time was preparing for his wedding to Jessica Cox. Interestingly, when Trout’s own jersey number 27 was announced by the Angels, fans were perplexed at the choice.

Why Does Trout Wear 27?

Frankly, no one knows. There was wild speculation when the center fielder debuted in 2011 as MLB’s no.1 prospect, sparking theories as to his choice. The reason why this was so widely talked about was that another baseball superstar, Vlad Guerrero, had worn the number in the then-recent past.

Guerrero retired in 2009 and not even two years later, Trout debuted with the same jersey. Fans would show up to Angel Stadium with 27 stamped across both players’ names.

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It’s unlikely that the Angels will ever retire the number associated with Guerrero. But given Trout’s Hall of Fame trajectory, the honor will probably go to him. In the same way, 17 will probably hang by the rafters in LA for Ohtani, even if he’s likely to leave the Halos after this season.