Connect with us

Las Vegas A's

Athletics Opening Day countdown: Tim Hudson is best No. 15 in A’s history

With 15 days left until Athletics Opening Day, this countdown names Tim Hudson the best A’s player to wear No. 15, fueled by a six-year run of ace-level production in Oakland.

Athletics first base coach Bobby Crosby poses with former pitchers Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland.

15 days remain until Athletics Opening Day at the Toronto Blue Jays on March 27, 2026. With Las Vegas on the horizon, this daily countdown tracks the best A’s players by jersey number.

Today, March 12, 2026, the number is 15.

Tim Hudson, No. 15

Tim Hudson is the best A’s player to wear No. 15 because he pairs frontline performance with real franchise longevity. He wasn’t a one-season cameo or a late-career stop — he was a pillar of the early-2000s A’s.

Hudson spent six seasons in Oakland (1999-2004), went 92-39 with the A’s, and posted a 3.30 ERA across 1,240.2 innings. He also made two All-Star teams while wearing No. 15 in Oakland.

Why Hudson gets No. 15

Hudson gets No. 15 because he was the steady ace-level anchor on A’s teams that lived in contention. He delivered volume (three straight seasons of 235+ innings from 2001-03), efficiency, and wins, and he did it over multiple seasons in the same uniform number — exactly what this series values beyond pure WAR.

Career start and background

Hudson was born July 14, 1975, in Columbus, Georgia. He played at Chattahoochee Valley CC and Auburn.

He debuted for the Athletics on June 8, 1999.

Other notable No. 15s

  • Dan Haren (2006-2007)
  • Seth Brown (2020-2025)
  • Ryan Sweeney (2008-2011)
  • Claudell Washington (1974-1976)

Career check

No. 15 has some solid names, but Hudson owns it because he combined high-end production with multiple prime seasons for the Athletics — and he was a defining starter for a key era of A’s baseball.

Related story

Dave Stewart to throw first pitch at Circa Opening Day event

Welcome to Dice City Sports — where we provide premium, exclusive, up-to-date news and analysis surrounding the Las Vegas sports scene. Follow along on social media, and check back for new articles daily!

Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.

More in Las Vegas A's