Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day countdown: 21 days to go

There are now 21 days until Opening Days.

Here are the players that have worn the number 21 throughout the team’s 20 year history.

• Bubba Trammell (1998-2000)
• Aubrey Huff (2000)
• Josh Phelps (2005)
• Ty Wigginton (2006-2007)
• Andy Sonnanstine (2008-2011)
• Jose Lobaton (2012)
• James Loney (2013-2015)
• Bobby Wilson (2016)
• Taylor Featherston (2017)
• Lucas Duda (2017)

Bubba Trammell took the number 21 during the Rays inaugural season in 1998 and held the number until his trade at the 2000 deadline. During those three year with the Rays, Trammell accrued 2.3 fWAR and was a very solid offensive player as he put up 122 wRC+, slugging 33 HR over 757 PA.

Top prospect, Aubrey Huff, would take over the jersey in August, but switched to 19 the following season.

The 21 jersey would take a four year hiatus before Josh Phelps picked up the number for the 2005 season. Phelps time with the Rays however, was short lived as he failed to live up to his PECOTA billing.

Ty Wigginton came to the Rays for the 2006 season after being signed as a free agent and proceeded to have an excellent season for the Rays. His defense was a bit subpar, but he was able to play all around the infield and hit anywhere they put him, accruing a total of 1.7 fWAR before being traded to the Houston Astros at the 2007 trade deadline.

Andy Sonnastine donned the number from 2008 until his release in 2011, spending the first couple of year in the backend of the Rays starting rotation before being moved to the bullpen for an unsuccessful run as a reliever. While in the Rays starting rotation, Sonnanstine provided the Rays with consistent outings and was one of the better pitchers on the team during their first playoff run in 2008.

Jose Lobaton wore the jersey for the 69 nice games he played for the Rays during the 2012 season.

James Loney came in for the 2013 seasona and took over the number and just blistered the ball that season, hitting laser shots all over the outfield, accruing a total of 2.36 fWAR. This led to the Rays signing him to a three year deal during the off-season, a deal that quickly turned disastrous as Loney struggled mightily and would be released following the spring of 2016.

Since Loney’s departure, a few guys have worn the number 21 with Bobby Wilson handling the number behind the plate during his brief stay with Tampa Bay. Taylor Featherston had it for part of the 2017 season, then the trade acquisition of Lucas Duda brought in another new owner for the number.

Check back tomorrow as the countdown continues.