Best Rays of all time, by jersey number

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays have only been around since 1998, but with all the roster transactions that the front office makes, there’s been a good amount of players that have played in the organization.

Because of the high number of players, there has been a lot of different jersey numbers throughout the years. Let’s face it, most players want to be the best player with his uniform number, so we take a look at who those players are in Rays history.

0: Mallex Smith
Surprisingly, Smith is the only Rays player to ever wear the No. 0, making him a lock here. Besides that, the Mallex Effect had a very solid 2019 season before getting traded to Seattle.

1: Willy Adames
Akinori Iwamura had a few successful seasons and recorded the last out in the 2008 American League Championship Series against the Red Sox, but Adames’ strong performance in the abbreviated 2020 campaign pushed him to the top of the list here. The sparkplug shortstop totaled 7.6 WAR in parts of four seasons with Tampa Bay, and he was a beloved teammate.

2: B.J. Upton
Yandy Díaz certainly has the biggest arms out of the group, but Bossman Junior is the greatest No. 2 in franchise history.

3: Evan Longoria
Longoria is the greatest Ray of all time, so there’s really nothing else to say.

4: Blake Snell
Snell was dealt to the Padres after the 2020 season, likely preventing him from becoming one of the best pitchers in franchise history -- though there’s an argument for that. His last three seasons were enough to make him the best No. 4 in franchise history, especially because of his dominant ‘18 campaign.

5: Rocco Baldelli
Though injuries shortened a very promising career, Baldelli has turned into a really good manager and is constantly voted as most handsome skipper in baseball.

6: John Flaherty
Flaherty is the original Rays catcher, playing in each of the franchise’s five seasons.

7: Logan Morrison
Full disclosure: No. 7 is my favorite number, and Morrison wins the honor after launching 38 home runs with the Rays in 2017.

8: Desmond Jennings
Jennings gets the nod because he played with the Rays longer, but Brandon Lowe is coming for this spot, and he’ll likely take over sooner rather than later.

9: Wil Myers
18 players have worn this number, but the 2013 AL Rookie of the Year Award gave Myers the nod.

10: Mike Zunino
Kelly Shoppach and Corey Dickerson were considered, but Zunino had the best season by a catcher in franchise history in 2021 -- and he was a valuable presence behind the plate during the Rays’ run to the 2020 World Series.

11: Logan Forsythe
Yunel Escobar made a case, but Forsythe had some of his best moments in a Rays uniform.

12: Wade Boggs
The first -- and last -- No. 12 in Rays history.

13: Carl Crawford
The best left fielder in franchise history, and it’s not even close.

14: David Price
Price won the first AL Cy Young Award in franchise history and would unquestionably be on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore.

15: Cliff Floyd
He gets a lot of credit for the veteran leadership he provided during the magical 2008 run to the World Series.

16: Dwight Gooden
Gooden made only eight appearances in a Rays uniform, but he’s Dwight Gooden, so he gets the nod.

17: Austin Meadows
Though he struggled at the plate during a challenging 2020 season, Meadows is the best No. 17 in club history, and the outfielder has a chance to keep that distinction for a long time.

18: Ben Zobrist
When you think of the Rays, it’s impossible to not think of Zobrist and his versatility.

19: Aubrey Huff
He was a good baseball player.

20: Matt Joyce
Joyce owns one of the smoothest left-handed swings in franchise history and had enough solid years to hold off Tyler Glasnow, whose claim to this spot has been delayed by injuries.

21: James Loney
Loney didn’t do anything spectacular during his three years with the Rays, but he was a solid first baseman and helped the club reach the postseason in 2013.

22: Chris Archer
He’s one of the best pitchers in franchise history, and he served as the face of the franchise through some of its harder struggles in the mid-2010s.

23: Carlos Peña
Jake Odorizzi, Julio Lugo, Greg Vaughn and Nelson Cruz also wore Michael Jordan’s No. 23, but Peña’s 46 home runs in 2007 make him the best No. 23.

24: Dan Johnson
Is it too much to say that he's the best clutch hitter in franchise history? Maybe, but we’re going to do it anyway.

25: Russ Johnson
Surprisingly, only five players have worn this number in Rays history, with Yoshi Tsutsugo being the first in more than 15 years, only for Jordan Luplow to wear it shortly after the Rays let Tsutsugo go in 2021. Of the group, Johnson was the most successful.

26: Brad Boxberger
The reliever was an AL All-Star in 2015, so he gets the nod here. Ji-Man Choi, who has evolved into a fan favorite, was a close second.

27: Cesar Ramos
Ramos was one of those sneaky-good relievers during his time with Tampa Bay, posting a 3.66 ERA across four seasons.

28: John Jaso
This was a battle between Jaso and José Molina, but Jaso’s hair gave him the edge.

29: Fred McGriff
Tommy Pham was a really good No. 29, but all McGriff did was hit in his career and Crime Dog should’ve gotten more Hall of Fame love.

30: Dioner Navarro
One of the key pieces during the team’s 2008 run.

31: Jonny Gomes
One of the most memorable personalities in franchise history.

32: Eric Hinske
Hinske hit 20 home runs in his lone season with the Rays and was one of the veteran leaders in 2008.

33: James Shields
It came down to Shields or Jose Canseco, but it’s impossible to not give it to someone nicknamed Big Game James.

34: Jeff Niemann
I still don’t know how they make jerseys for people who are 6-foot-9.

35: Dan Wheeler
He had two stints with the Rays and they couldn’t have been much different. His first stint was, uh, not good. But in his second stint, Wheeler wore No. 35 and helped the Rays advance to the World Series.

36: Edwin Jackson
Jackson helped the Rays make the postseason in 2008 and then threw a 149-pitch no-hitter against Tampa Bay while with the D-backs two years later.

37: Alex Colomé
It wasn’t always easy, but Colomé was a really solid closer for the Rays.

38: Colin Poche
He missed time recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, but if you’re in the market for a No. 38 jersey, Poche’s is the one for you.

39: Kevin Kiermaier
Kiermaier has established himself as a leader for the Rays, and he’s easily the best center fielder in franchise history.

40: Wilson Ramos
The Rays have struggled to find productive catchers, but Ramos was extremely productive during his All-Star season in 2018.

41: Paul Wilson
He started 61 games for the Rays, including 30 in 2002.

43: Mike Brosseau
His name is engraved in Rays history after his go-ahead eighth-inning home run off Aroldis Chapman in Game 5 of the 2020 AL Division Series.

44: Toby Hall
One of the top catchers in franchise history.

45: Jesús Sucre
There aren’t many players to pick from here, but Snell gives Sucre a lot of credit for his Cy Young Award campaign and there’s a lot of value in that.

46: José Alvarado
His struggles over the past two seasons have overshadowed just how good he was in 2018. Alvarado has another chance to establish himself in the Tampa Bay bullpen with his 99 mph sinker from the left side.

47: Victor Zambrano
One of the pitchers that got the Rays through some tough times in the early 2000s.

48: Ryan Yarbrough
Bouncing back between roles as a starter and a bulk-inning guy, Yarbrough had a tremendous first three seasons in the big leagues then led a 100-win team in innings in 2021.

49: Jason Hammel
Hammel ended up having a nice career with the Rockies, Orioles, Cubs, A’s and Royals, but it all started with Tampa Bay.

50: Grant Balfour
Charlie Morton made a really good case in just two seasons, but it’s impossible to overlook just how important Balfour was to the Tampa Bay bullpen.

51: Rick White
There weren’t many options to pick from, but White was on the inaugural Rays team, therefore, he gets to claim this number.

52: Chaz Roe
Roe and his Frisbee-like slider struck out 141 batters in 120 innings from 2017-21.

53: Alex Cobb
One of the most reliable and consistent pitchers in franchise history.

54: Sergio Romo
Ryne Stanek became the face behind the Opener strategy, but Romo was the original, and the pitcher that allowed the Rays to try out the unique plan.

55: Matt Moore
Going 17-4 during an All-Star season in 2013 certainly locked this one up for Moore.

56: Randy Arozarena
With all due respect to Fernando Rodney, whose incredible 2012 season was one of the best in Major League history, Arozarena earned this one in a hurry with his 2020 breakout, historic postseason and AL Rookie of the Year Award (followed by a straight steal of home in the postseason) in ’21.

57: Jake McGee
In five full seasons with the Rays, McGee finished with a sub-2.00 ERA twice, solidifying himself as one of the best relievers in franchise history.

58: Jeremy Hellickson
He was never able to fully build on his 2011 AL Rookie of the Year Award-winning campaign, but Hellickson was still a solid pitcher for Tampa Bay and the best No. 58.

59: Jose Lobaton
This is kind of an obscure jersey number, but Lobaton made it cool after he hit one of the biggest home runs in franchise history, a walk-off against the Red Sox in Game 3 of the 2013 ALDS.

60: Julio Santana
Zambrano and Gomes also wore this number for a short while before changing it. Santana, on the other hand, was the first to sport the random number, and wore it proudly.

61: Josh Fleming
Fleming was one of the pleasant surprises for the Rays in 2020 while wearing this jersey, going 5-0 with a 2.78 ERA in his first seven big league appearances then swapping out for a lower number in his sophomore campaign. If he lives up to the hype, this will soon be Luis Patiño’s spot on this list.

62: Joel Peralta
Shane McClanahan made history with this number by becoming the first pitcher in Major League history to make his debut in the postseason, but before that happened, Peralta was helping the Rays make a couple of postseason appearances in the early 2010s.

63: Diego Castillo
Disney made a movie out of Jim Morris’ life, so it’s hard to go against the left-hander here. But Castillo had some excellent seasons in an important role and is surprisingly still the only Rays pitcher to record a save in the World Series.

64: Diego Moreno
He made five appearances with the Rays in 2017, but the only other players to wear this number had fewer -- two (Joseph Odom) and one (Joey Krehbiel), both in 2021.

65: Casey Sadler
Sadler made only nine appearances with the Rays in 2019, but the right-hander was very effective, posting a 1.86 ERA. He’s the only one to wear this number in franchise history and could very well be the only player ever to drive his RV from Triple-A Durham after getting called up.

67: Ricardo Pinto
Pinto made his debut in 2019 as the Rays battled injuries, but the right-hander struggled, allowing four runs over 2 1/3 innings of work. At least he checked another number off the list.

68: Jalen Beeks
Beeks was establishing himself as a key piece to the Tampa Bay bullpen in 2020 but a left elbow injury led to Tommy John surgery. Once he recovers, Beeks will continue to distance himself from whoever wears his number next.

70: Nick Anderson
In the past three years, Anderson has gone from playing Independent ball to being the best player to wear No. 70 in franchise history. Not bad.

71: Ryan Sherriff
Sherriff made it back to the big leagues after sustaining numerous injuries, and the left-hander was sharp, not allowing a run over 9 2/3 innings.

72: Yonny Chirinos
Chirinos was developing into a really productive Major League starter, but Tommy John surgery in 2020 will cost him the entire ‘21 season. The Rays hope No. 72 is back on the mound and pitching well in ‘22.

73: Johnny Davis
He didn’t make the impact with his speed the way the Rays hoped for, but he did provide one of the best interviews inside the clubhouse when Tampa Bay made the postseason in 2019.

74: J.P. Howell
Not many relievers in the history of the franchise have had a more successful two-year run than the one Howell had in 2008-09. He mostly wore No. 39, but we’ll put him as a No. 74 in order to get him on this list.

75: Dietrich Enns
Enns took a wild path to the Rays, going from independent ball in 2020 to the Majors one year later. He pitched well in a cameo role, posting a 2.82 ERA with two wins and two saves in nine appearances, then accepted an opportunity to continue his career in Japan.

81: Ryan Thompson
Thompson is the only Rays player to wear this wide receiver number. In 2020, however, it didn’t matter what number he wore, as he was one of the key pieces in the Tampa Bay bullpen.

84: John Curtiss
Curtiss went from being cut from the Phillies’ Triple-A squad to pitching in a World Series game. That’s somehow more remarkable than his decision to wear No. 84.

85: Sean Gilmartin
This guy probably has more White House appearances than mound appearances with the Rays, but he’s the only No. 85 in team history, so he makes the cut.

86: Chris Ellis
The Rays’ only No. 86 gets a bonus point for efficiency. In his only appearance for the team in 2021, he recorded his first Major League win by working four scoreless innings with seven strikeouts out of the bullpen.

87: José De León
Injuries prevented him from developing as the Rays hoped when they acquired the right-hander from the Dodgers in 2017.

88: Josh Paul
He’s not related to the Paul Brothers, but he was a Rays catcher in 2006 and ‘07.

97: Joe Beimel
He made only seven appearances with the Rays, but I’m more intrigued by the fact that he wore No. 97 with five big league teams.