In baseball, sometimes a jersey number can lead to a much bigger gift than a mighty home run! Don’t agree? Ask Brett Baty, who recently gave up his #22 jersey to the newly acquired Juan Soto after the outfielder signed a massive $765 million contract with the New York Mets.

In return, Juan Soto gifted Baty a $92000 Chevy Tahoe, as he feels nothing says ‘thanks’ like a brand new ride with “Thanks For #22” written on the back. Now, MLB analyst Steve Phillips is joking that if you want to get in on this gift-giving trend, you might want to rock No. 27. But why 27? Well, Phillips has a hilarious idea of how a mere number can land you some perks!

Philips, known for his humorous takes, recently joked on the MLB Network about a clever strategy. “I want number 27 for my organization,” Phillips said. “I’m going to try to find a way to get 27.” Why 27, you ask? Well, Phillips’ reasoning comes with a twist.

“Mike Trout wears that number. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wears that number. Vlad Jr. is the next big free agent, so if I can get 27 in my organization, where he might be coming to my team, I want a car!” Phillips wasn’t just having a laugh, he was cleverly giving ideas to the young players that the iconic players like Trout and Guerrero, who are likely to fetch massive deals in the future, can give you more than just an on-field advantage. With the Soto-to-Baty exchange still fresh in everyone’s mind, Phillips took his joke a step further.

“If I could somehow get Vlad Jr. in my organization, I’d be getting him No. 27 so I can get my car! I would get an SUV with all the gadgets and everything, just like Brett Baty struck gold.” While the notion of jersey numbers influencing gift exchange is exciting, it’s also a reminder of the playful camaraderie among the players.

For now, players like Brett Baty are reaping the benefits of kindness in a big way. So if you are a rookie wearing a #27 jersey, keep your fingers crossed, your SUV might be on the way!

The other way around: When a rookie outclasses the veteran!

In a world where rookies are usually the ones scrambling for scraps for handing over their jersey numbers to veterans—Roki Sasaki turned the tables in the most unexpected way.

It all started when Sasaki, a phenom from Japan’s Chiba Lotte Marines, used to don the #11 in Japan. When he arrived at the Los Angeles Dodgers, he found out No. 11, the number he’d worn in Japan, was already spoken for by none other than Miguel Rojas. Rojas, who had been wearing the number for the Dodgers, could have easily kept No. 11, but instead, he did something rare: he gave it up to Sasaki without hesitation.

The young rookie, clearly appreciative, responded with a gracious and unexpected gesture—gifting Rojas a bottle of sake and a traditional glass as a thank-you. The exchange was a gracious nod to Sasaki’s roots in Japan, adding a cultural touch to an otherwise simple number gift. Rojas was touched by the emotion of the rookie’s gesture.

In the end, while the jersey number swap may have followed tradition, the sake exchange was a reminder that in baseball, it’s not just about the game on the field but the camaraderie off of it too.