Why does Dave Roberts wear No. 30 with the Dodgers?

"Wills worked as a special instructor for the Dodgers and worked closely with a young Roberts on baserunning and bunting. While Roberts was traded in the middle of the 2004 season to the Boston Red Sox, the pair maintained a close relationship. Roberts continued to wear No. 30 after his playing career was over as he chose to sport the number when he became the Dodgers' manager in 2016."

""It was a fun conversation that Tuck and I had," the Dodgers skipper said at Tucker's introductory press conerence. "It was just more of, Maury and I have just had such a great relationship. And one of the things that he was like, 'Gosh, before I die, I hope-or when I die, I hope that no one else wears that number.' And so, it's really near and dear to me.""

Dave Roberts wears No. 30 as a tribute to Maury Wills, who wore the number as the Dodgers' shortstop from 1959-1966 and 1969-1972. Wills served as a special instructor for the Dodgers and worked closely with a young Roberts on baserunning and bunting. Roberts maintained a close friendship with Wills after being traded to the Boston Red Sox in 2004. Roberts continued wearing No. 30 after his playing career and chose the number when he became Dodgers manager in 2016. Wills died in September 2022 and had told Roberts he hoped nobody else would wear No. 30. After signing Kyle Tucker in 2026, Tucker chose a different number following a conversation with Roberts.

Read at Dodgers Nation