Noah Syndergaard will be the first Los Angeles Angels player to wear No. 34 since Nick Adenhart, who died in a car crash in 2009.
Though the team has avoided using the number since his death, Syndergaard received permission from Adenhart's family. His stepfather Duane Gigeous explained the decision to Sam Blum of The Athletic:
"We are of the opinion that we think there could be no one better than Noah Syndergaard to wear it. We appreciate the type of pitcher that he is and the type of competitor that he is. … I think, hopefully, it will spark some conversations.