Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
It’s not rare for professional athletes to negotiate with a new teammate for the rights to a jersey number that was already claimed upon their arrival. Rangers outfielder Michael Helman gave his up for free after the Mets traded Brandon Nimmo to Texas, and he ended up getting a very expensive watch as a thank-you gift.
The number that an athlete rocks on their jersey may not have a direct impact on their performance, but those digits can be pretty meaningful for a lot of the people who wear them.
That significance can be as simple as an affinity for the number they were randomly assigned when they first started playing the sport they turned into a career. However, they can also be a reference to a date or number of particular importance, a tribute to an idol they had while growing up, and even a unique (and, in the case of Amon-Ra St. Browm, slightly misplaced) form of motivation.
That emotional attachment can lead to some awkward situations when a player who’s traded to or signs with a new team finds themselves sharing a locker room with someone who’s already rocking their preferred number, which frequently results in one person essentially offering to purchase the rights.
Michael Helman was kind enough to forgo any form of payment when he offered to give up the No. 24 Brandon Nimmo requested after he was traded from the Mets to the Rangers, but he ended up getting a very nice addition to his watch collection.
Brandon Nimmo got Michael Helman a Rolex after the latter offered to give up his jersey number for free
Prior to this season, Brandon Nimmo had spent the entirety of his MLB career with the Mets organization, which drafted the Wyoming native with the 13th overall pick in 2011. The outfielder made his MLB debut in 2016, and he spent ten seasons wearing #9.
The 2025 season marked his final one in New York, as the outfielder was traded to the Rangers in November in exchange for Marcus Semien. He used the move as an opportunity to change his jersey to No. 24, which was both a nod to Ken Griffey Jr. and his older brother Bryce, who wore it during his playing days at Nebraska.
That number was officially retired by the Mets in 2022 in honor of Willie Mays (who capped off his career with the franchise), which came 40 years after owner Joan Payson had promised to give the legend the treatment due to his legacy as a member of the New York Giants. Kelvin Torve, Rickey Henderson, and Robinson Cano did wear it during their time with the team, but Nimmo abstained out of respect for the Hall of Famer.
That switch did come with a tiny hurdle, as Michael Helman wore 24 during the 38 games he played for the Rangers in 2025. However, the 29-year-old outfielder, who has spent the majority of his pro career grinding in the minors, graciously gave it up to the incoming veteran without asking for anything in return.
Nimmon nonetheless felt the need to give him something, and on Sunday, he shared a video of the moment he surprised Helman with the Rolex he felt he deserved.
The watch in question is a GMT-Master II known as the “Bruce Wayne” due to its monochromatic black-and-grey bezel (in contrast to the black and blue coloring found in the model referred to as the “Batman”), and it usually sells for between $20,000 and $25,000.
Helmen was clearly not expecting the gift based on his initial reaction, but it sure seems like he appreciated it.