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NEW YORK — Gone was Rico Garcia’s No. 50 Orioles uniform on Tuesday afternoon. Hanging in its place was a No. 21 edition with no name on the back in honor of Roberto Clemente, the iconic Puerto Rican star whom Garcia idolized growing up.

Garcia was born and raised in Hawaii. But his father, Eddie Garcia, was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and he passed pride for that island to his son. That meant Clemente highlights, watching the Hall of Famer patrol the outfield for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Given the opportunity to wear No. 21 on Tuesday night, Garcia took it once again — he did so last year and in 2020, when he was a member of the San Francisco Giants. The significance doesn’t dim with time.

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“You try to embody the person every day of your life, but having a special day for it definitely means a lot, just to show everyone across the league that this is where I’m from,” said Garcia, who represented Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic. “My dad was born and raised there. He’s very proud that I’m wearing it.”

Clemente died in a plane crash in 1972 while on his way to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States, grapples with the reality of poverty, and that extends to a growing lack of opportunity for talented players from the territory reaching the major leagues. Puerto Rican players aren’t eligible to sign as international free agents as 16-year-olds, as opposed to teenagers from other countries.

For at least one day, Roberto Clemente Day brings visibility to Puerto Rican baseball history, and Garcia is honored to take part.

“For me, just to be able to represent an entire island and everything he stood for, I just try to do that on and off the field in the best way that I can,” Garcia said, “and it’s just a special opportunity being able to wear the jersey.”

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Every player in MLB wears a No. 21 patch on their jersey tonight, and it’s optional whether they’d like to wear Clemente’s number on their back, as well. Orioles star Pete Alonso also had a No. 21 jersey hanging in his locker ahead of the second game of a three-game series against the Mets at Citi Field.

Alonso is the Orioles’ nominee for MLB’s annual award named after Clemente, which honors players for their charity work.

Garcia said his father taught him about Clemente from a young age. His baseball feats were legendary. What Clemente did for children in Latin America and the Caribbean with free sports clinics set an even loftier example to Garcia, the 32-year-old who signed his first guaranteed major league contract last winter.

“To see highlights of Clemente, and just everything he’s done off the field, I just kind of fell in love with him as a player, as a person, his whole character,” Garcia said.

Garcia, who earned the save in Monday’s win against his former team, said he tries to remember the impact someone in his position can offer. When in Hawaii, Garcia said he frequently speaks to kids at gymnasiums, schools and at Hawaii Pacific University, hoping that his experiences can inspire the next generation.

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Garcia’s path here was not smooth. He bounced around the minor leagues, dealt with a slew of injuries and played for three major league teams last year. But since cementing a place with Baltimore, Garcia has pitched for Puerto Rico in the WBC and has solidified a role in the Orioles’ bullpen.

And if he appears Tuesday, he’ll do so wearing the number of one of his heroes.