Friendships formed via sports rivalries are just as memorable and powerful. Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez were on top for a while. They became teammates after their relationship had already soured, which was unfortunate. Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani have been friends for 20 years, and the fact that they both wear the red and white of the Los Angeles Angels is a testament to that. However, their jersey numbers have a fascinating history.

Athletes may be the only people who find it meaningful to wear numbers on their backs. Some people, like Derek Jeter, are content with whatever they are given; he wore jersey number 2 because that was the only one available in his size. However, for some, like Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman, wearing the number 6 has sentimental significance.

Ohtani didn’t explain why he wаnted to play for the Angels, but he was completely open about the jersey number he wаnted when he was officially unveiled. Sho-time: The Inside Story of Shohei Ohtani and the Greatest Baseball Season Ever Played author Jeff Fletcher recounts the occasion, writing, “When questioned why he had picked number 17, he answered, “I actually wаnted 27, but somebody else was wearing that number.” That other person was Mike Trout, the great outfielder for the Angels.

The two-way star also extended his best wishes to Trout, who was getting married to Jessica Cox at the time. Fans were confused by the Angels’ announcement that Trout will wear jersey number 27.

Truthfully, nobody has a clue. When the center fielder debuted in 2011 as MLB’s top prоspect, there was much debate as to his selection. One of the reasons this made headlines was because another baseball great, Vlad Guerrero, had previously used this uniform number.

After Guerrero’s retirement in 2009, Trout wore his number in his first game. Many Angel Stadium visitors would arrive with the number 27 emblazoned across both players’ names.

The Angels probably won’t retire Guerrero’s number anytime soon. But Trout seems destined for Cooperstown, so it’s likely he’ll win the award. Even though Ohtani is expected to leave the Halos at the end of the season, he will still have his No. 17 jersey permanently displayed in Los Angeles.