Clint Frazier switches to No. 77 after trade, but not because of Mantle

That's one heck of a welcome-back present, rook.

Tuesday's blockbuster trade that sent Todd Frazier, David Robertson, and Tommy Kahnle to the New York Yankees was celebrated by fans in the Big Apple for on-field reasons. But it did briefly raise one small problem in the Yankee clubhouse: one concerning the always-precious uniform numbers - and specifically, what digits Robertson would wear in his return to his original franchise.

Any lingering questions were put to rest, however, thanks to Yankees rookie outfielder Clint Frazier, who voluntarily gave Robertson his old No. 30 back while switching to No. 77.

The 22-year-old Frazier's odd choice for his new number immediately raised eyebrows, given a series of events from earlier this year. During spring training, it was reported that Frazier had allegedly asked to wear Mickey Mantle's long-retired No. 7. Though that story was quickly debunked as a myth, the parallels were too much to ignore on Tuesday - until Frazier himself said otherwise.

"I never asked for that (number)," Frazier told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com about the similarities to Mantle. Rather, Frazier explained to Hoch that he thought wearing a double number in left field to match right fielder Aaron Judge's No. 99 would "look cool," and No. 77 was what they gave him.

Frazier becomes just the second Yankee ever to don No. 77, joining Humberto Sanchez (2008). Including Frazier, only 29 players in MLB history have ever worn the number.

Thanks to Frazier, Robertson gets to wear No. 30 with the Yankees for a second time. That number was his for seven years in the Bronx from 2008-14, during which time the 32-year-old established himself as a dominant reliever by recording a 2.81 ERA, 47 saves, and 10.8 bWAR - the sixth-highest total by a reliever in Yankees history.

The Yankees' other new acquisitions, Todd Frazier and Kahnle, will wear No. 29 and No. 48, respectively, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.