A's announce plan to retire Stewart's No. 34

OAKLAND -- Dave Stewart became the first member of the Athletics to have his jersey number retired without reaching the Hall of Fame. Nobody will suggest that they lowered their standards.

The A’s highlighted Sunday’s 30th-anniversary celebration of sweeping the Giants in the 1989 World Series by announcing that they will retire Stewart’s jersey number next year. Stewart’s No. 34 already is retired. He inherited the number before it was taken off-limits in honor of its most distinguished previous bearer, reliever Rollie Fingers.

There was no drop in quality when the number belonged to Stewart, an Oakland native who occasionally sneaked into the Coliseum as a youth to watch A’s games. Stewart spent eight of his 16 Major League seasons with Oakland, for which he compiled a 119-78 record. He won 20 games or more in four consecutive seasons with the A's (1987-90) and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1989 World Series, when he won both of his starts and posted a 1.69 ERA.

The list of Oakland greats whose numbers are retired by the A's includes Fingers, Reggie Jackson (No. 9), Rickey Henderson (24), Catfish Hunter (27), Dennis Eckersley (43) and the No. 42 that all clubs have retired in honor of Jackie Robinson. Former owner Walter Haas earned a symbolic retired number.

“For the organization to step outside that and honor me in that way, there just are no words to express how I feel,” said Stewart, 62. “I feel it would be unfair to say it’s great. That’s not enough. But it truly is a tremendous honor.”

Stewart retired in 1995 with a 168-129 career record and a 3.95 ERA. He also pitched for the Dodgers, Rangers, Phillies and Blue Jays.

Worth noting

Oakland right fielder Stephen Piscotty is bound for the injured list with a high sprain of his right ankle. Piscotty underwent an MRI on Sunday which confirmed the injury’s extent.

“That’s not how I wanted to start my day, that’s for sure,” Piscotty said.

The ankle troubled Piscotty recently, though he continued to play.

“There was a swing [Saturday] night that aggravated it,” he said. “It wasn’t progressing in the right direction.”

Piscotty was on the injured list earlier this season from June 30 to Aug. 2 with a sprained right knee.

Despite the discomfort, Piscotty batted .304 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in 16 games after being reinstated from the IL.

A’s manager Bob Melvin said that the team will make a corresponding roster move Monday.