Just one day remains 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 26, 2026, the number is 1.
Eddie Joost, No. 1
Eddie Joost is the best Athletics player to wear No. 1 because the career value and the on-base profile separate him from this jersey group. He also wore it through his best years, which matters in a series built around identity as much as totals.
Using the quick, consistent tiebreaker for this series, career WAR, Joost clears the rest of the No. 1 list. He finished with 31.8 career WAR, and 26.8 of that came with the Philadelphia Athletics.
Why Joost gets No. 1
Joost gets No. 1 because his peak years with the Athletics were loud even without a big batting average. He lived on base, hit for real power for a shortstop, and drove run production from the middle of the diamond.
His best season is the anchor for the pick. In 1949, Joost hit .263 with a .429 OBP, 23 home runs and 81 RBIs, and he drew 149 walks.
He followed it with another star-level year in 1951. Joost hit .289 with a .409 OBP, 19 home runs and 78 RBIs, adding 10 stolen bases.
The on-base consistency shows up across his Athletics run. In eight seasons with Philadelphia, Joost hit .249 with a .392 OBP and a .799 OPS, and he piled up 116 homers at a premium position.
Career start and background
Joost was born June 5, 1916, in San Francisco. He attended Mission High School in San Francisco.
He debuted in the majors Sept. 11, 1936, and later landed with the Athletics in 1947. Joost spent 1947-54 in Philadelphia, then finished his career with Boston in 1955.
Other notable No. 1s
- Dick Green
- Esteury Ruiz
- Tony Phillips
- Akinori Iwamura
Career check
No. 1 is a number with a lot of short stays and role years, which makes a true franchise peak stand out. Joost owned his best seasons with the Athletics, and the combination of value, power, and patience makes him the clear No. 1.
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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.
