COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#26)

By Paul Semendinger

***

In regard to the greatest #26 in Yankees' history, it really comes down to two players. And it actually comes down, in the end, to what one values more - pitching or hitting.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

***

The most worn uniform number in Yankees' history is #26. 74 different players have worn this number to date.

The number has been worn by a bunch of players that had some impressive names like:

• John Kennedy (1967), but of course it wasn't President John Kennedy...

• Don Johnson (1947-50), but not the Don Johnson of Miami Vice fame...

• Archie Moore (1964-65), but not the boxing champ...

• Frank Baker (1970-71), but not Frank "Home Run" Baker...

• Casey (1949), but this was Hugh Casey, not the Casey who once had a famous at bat...

• Jimmy Hall (1969) and Johnny Oates (1980-81) both wore #26, but they weren't (nearly) as successful as the singers Hall and Oates...

• There was a Sears (Ken, 1943) and a McDonald('s) (Darnell, 2012), but not the corporate giants...

But, in the end, to get to the debate, it comes down to two players:

PLAYER A - A second baseman/infielder. This player is a lifetime .300 hitter as a Yankee (or thereabouts). Through early June 2022, he had accumulated 12.1 WAR as a Yankee.

PLAYER B - A starting pitcher. This pitcher went 61-40 as a Yankee, but, more impressively, went 8-0 in his first eight decisions in the post season. He accumulated 19.0 WAR.

Player A is, of course D.J. LeMahieu. It is very likely that he will end up as the WAR leader and the player who had the longest years of service in uniform #26.

Player B is Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez.

There are great arguments to make for each, but as of the writing of this article, I am going to award this honor to Orlando Hernandez.

El Duque was a clutch pitcher. He was also a champion - multiple times. In the world of the Yankees, winning championships matters, and the Yankees won it all in 1998, 1999, and 2000 with Hernandez being a big part of the pitching staff - especially, as noted, in the post season. This makes the winner, for now at least, is El Duque.

***

Most of the background research for this project came from Baseball-Reference.com and the SABR BioProject.

***

PREVIOUS ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES:

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#99)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#91-98)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#91-98) UPDATED!

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#90)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#89)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#88)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#86 and #87)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#85)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#84)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#83)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#82)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#79)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#77)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#75)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#74)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#73)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#72)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#71)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#70)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#69)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Numbers (#68)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#67)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#66)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#65)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#64)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#63)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#62)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#61)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#60)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#59)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#58)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#57)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#56)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#55)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#54)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#53)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#52)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#51)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#50)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#49)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#48)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#47)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#46)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#45)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#44)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#43)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#42)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#41)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#40)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#39)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#38)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#37)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#36)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#35)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#34)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#33)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#32)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#31)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#30)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#29)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#28)

COUNTING DOWN: The Best Yankee At Each Uniform Number (#27)