The New York Mets will retire Dwight “Doc” Gooden’s No. 16 and Darryl Strawberry’s No. 18 in 2024, the team announced Thursday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Both players were key members of New York’s 1986 World Series-winning team.
- The right-handed Gooden was the 1984 National League Rookie of the Year and won the 1985 NL Cy Young Award. He posted a 3.51 career ERA and 194-112 record in 410 starts before retiring in 2001.
- Strawberry, an outfielder, was the 1983 NL Rookie of the Year, a two-time Silver Slugger and eight-time All-Star. The 1980 No. 1 draft pick batted .259 with 335 home career runs and 1,000 RBIs before retiring in 1999.
No. 16 and No. 18: Forever enshrined in Mets history.
Next season, we will retire Doc Gooden and Darryl Strawberry’s numbers. pic.twitter.com/WvgZ0SuxvA
— New York Mets (@Mets) August 24, 2023
Backstory
Gooden, selected by New York with the No. 5 pick of the 1982 draft, posted a 3.10 ERA and 157-85 record with the Mets. During his Cy Young season, he put up a 1.53 ERA over 276 2/3 innings, including 16 complete games.
Gooden, now 58, went on to play for the Yankees, Cleveland, Tampa Bay and Houston.
Strawberry finished second and third in MVP voting in 1988 and 1990, respectively. He hit 39 home runs in 1987 and 1988, as well as 37 in 1990.
Following his Mets tenure, Strawberry, 61, played for the Dodgers, Giants and Yankees. He also won the World Series in 1996 and 1999 with the Yankees.
The later years of both players’ careers were marred by drug-related issues.
Complete list of Mets retired numbers
- 14 — Gil Hodges
- 16 — Dwight Gooden
- 17 — Keith Hernandez
- 18 — Darryl Strawberry
- 24 — Willie Mays
- 31 — Mike Piazza
- 36 — Jerry Koosman
- 37 — Casey Stengel
- 41 — Tom Seaver
- 42 — Jackie Robinson (retired by all of MLB)
Required reading
(Photo of Gooden: Scott Halleran / Getty Images)
