Ottavino happy to be a 0 for Yankees

TAMPA, FLA. — Adam Ottavino has a bagel on his back, supplanting Derek Jeter in one small area of New York Yankees history.

The newly signed relief pitcher was playing catch at Steinbrenner Field during Thursday’s opening workout of spring training, a white No. 0 on his dark blue practice jersey with the interlocking “NY” on the front. When he gets into a game, he will become the first player in the team’s history to wear the number.

Jeter was thought to be the last player with a single-digit uniform on the Yankees, and his No. 2 was retired in 2017.

A Brooklyn native, Ottavino is wearing the number he used at Berkeley Carroll High School and for the past six seasons with the Colorado Rockies.

“I don’t want to do anything to upset people, but I had to be myself and didn’t know what the organization would think,” Ottavino said. “So I said the ball is in your court. For me it’s just a number. Something I’m comfortable with.”

New York has retired Nos. 1 (Billy Martin), 3 (Babe Ruth), 4 (Lou Gehrig), 5 (Joe DiMaggio), 6 (Joe Torre), 7 (Mickey Mantle), 8 (Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey) and 9 (Roger Maris).

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner gave his approval for the number when Ottavino agreed to a $27 million, three-year contract.

New York also is not using the No. 13 worn by Alex Rodriguez and the No. 21 used by Paul O’Neill. New Hall of Famer Mike Mussina’s No. 35 was issued to outfielder Billy Burns.