Only three 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 24, 2026, the number is 3.
No. 3: Eric Chavez
If you are picking the best No. 3 in Athletics history, Chavez is the clean choice. He gave Oakland 13 seasons of elite defense and middle-of-the-order production.
Why Chavez gets No. 3
Chavez spent 1998-2010 in Oakland and built a career that still reads like a franchise standard at third base. He finished with 35.0 WAR as an Athletic, plus 230 home runs and 787 RBIs in green and gold.
At his peak, Chavez hit like a cornerstone and fielded like a shortstop at third. In 2001, he hit .288 with a .338 OBP, 32 homers and 114 RBIs, then followed with another monster line in 2002 when he hit .275 with a .348 OBP, 34 homers and 109 RBIs.
He also mixed patience with power in his best seasons. In 2004, Chavez posted a .276 average and a .397 OBP with 29 homers and 77 RBIs, and he drew 95 walks.
The glove is what pushes him over the top for this number. Chavez won 6 Gold Gloves, and that two-way impact is rare on any No. 3 list.
Career start and background
Eric Chavez was born in Los Angeles and played at Mount Carmel High in San Diego. The Athletics drafted him in the first round in 1996, taken 10th overall.
He debuted Sept. 8, 1998, against Baltimore at age 20. Chavez became a fixture in Oakland soon after, and he stayed there through the 2010 season.
Other notable No. 3s
- Jimmie Foxx
- Roger Maris
- Harold Baines
- Phil Garner
Career check
No. 3 has some famous names, but Chavez owns the Oakland era. The bat played, the glove won games, and the resume fits the jersey.
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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.
