While a lot of the focus around Major League Baseball right now centers on the playoff race with just over 10 regular-season games remaining for many teams, Tuesday is a special day in the league for one specific reason.
It’s the annual celebration of Roberto Clemente Day, which honors the late Roberto Clemente, who tragically died in a plane crash on Dec. 31, 1972, while attempting to deliver relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
How Does the League Honor Clemente?
If you’re tuned into any of the action on Tuesday across the league, you may notice all the players and coaches wearing a No. 21 patch on their jerseys, while several players are actually representing No. 21 on the back of their jerseys, which is the number Clemente wore throughout his career.
Each club’s respective nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award wears the No. 21 jersey, as do all past winners. The entire Pittsburgh Pirates team also wears No. 21, as that’s where Clemente spent his entire 18-year playing career and cemented his legacy as an MLB Hall of Famer, 15-time All-Star, and two-time World Series champion.
In honor of Roberto Clemente Day, all #Pirates players and personnel are wearing number 21 tonight, as are a number of other players and coaches around baseball. pic.twitter.com/VdQ88zDEg1
— MLB Jersey Numbers (@NumbersMLB) September 15, 2026
MLB’s Statement on Clemente
Leading up to all the league-wide action, MLB shared a personal statement on Clemente’s long-lasting legacy, citing both his impact on and off the field.
“Roberto Clemente’s baseball fame transcended the sport and gave him a platform to give back. On the field, he was one of the game’s all-time greats, amassing 3,000 hits and winning two World Series championships over 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates,” the MLB shared on X.
“Off the field, Clemente lived with a philanthropic and charitable spirit. He saw his fame and fortune as a gift that could help provide for those less fortunate.
Roberto Clemente’s baseball fame transcended the sport and gave him a platform to give back.
On the field he was one of the game’s all-time greats, amassing 3,000 hits and winning two World Series championships over 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Off the field,… pic.twitter.com/rQJvoJQVt2
— MLB (@MLB) September 15, 2026
“For both his great skill as a player and his character away from the field, Clemente remains a revered figure in Pittsburgh, in Puerto Rico, and throughout all of Latin America.
“Every September 15, we celebrate #ClementeDay to honor Roberto’s legacy of charity and kindness.”
Why Are MLB Players Wearing No. 21 Jerseys on Tuesday?