Aaron Judge is wearing number 21 as part of an MLB-wide tribute to Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, whose iconic jersey number was 21.

What’s going on with “Judge wearing 21”?

On certain dates, especially Roberto Clemente Day (September 15) and other league-approved tribute days, MLB players temporarily swap their usual numbers for 21. When you see Aaron Judge and other New York Yankees all in 21, it’s almost certainly one of those Clemente tribute games.

In one recent Yankees game, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Trevino and Marcus Stroman all wore No. 21 instead of their normal numbers.

Why number 21 matters

Roberto Clemente wore 21 throughout his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and became one of baseball’s most respected stars. He was a 2-time World Series champion, 1966 NL MVP, 1971 World Series MVP, and a 12-time Gold Glove winner.

Beyond stats, he’s revered for his humanitarian work and civil rights advocacy, using his platform to support communities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Clemente died in a 1972 plane crash while delivering earthquake relief supplies to Nicaragua, which is a big reason his legacy is so closely tied to charity and service.

How the tribute works in MLB

  • MLB created Roberto Clemente Day to honor his impact, with games featuring special recognition and storytelling about his life.
  • On that day, players, coaches, and other on-field personnel can wear 21 or patches with 21 on their uniforms.
  • Over time, MLB has expanded who is allowed to wear 21: initially Puerto Rican players and Clemente Award nominees, then more broadly any player who requests it with enough notice.
  • Recently, some events have also seen umpires and wider league staff wearing 21, emphasizing Clemente’s values of excellence, empathy, and community work.

So if you’re seeing clips or posts asking “why is Judge wearing 21,” the answer is: it’s a tribute game, and he’s honoring Roberto Clemente’s number and legacy for that day.

TL;DR: Aaron Judge is wearing 21 not because he changed his number permanently, but because MLB designates tribute days when players can wear 21 to honor Roberto Clemente’s life, career, and humanitarian work.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.