Jimmy Rollins Hopeful MLB Will Retire Willie Mays' No. 24 League-Wide

Jimmy Rollins says he wouldn't mind it if an MLB player never wore the No. 24 again ... telling TMZ Sports he'd be down to see Rob Manfred retire Willie Mays' famous number league-wide.

The possibility of the honor has been floated by baseball fans all over the country the past few days ... after Mays sadly died at 93 years old on June 18.

Seamheads have argued that due to his impact on the league, Mays' old number should get the same treatment that only Jackie Robinson's No. 42 has previously earned from the MLB.

When we got Rollins out at LAX this week, he said he'd be all for it ... telling us "It'd be a great honor."

J Roll went on to say he thinks Mays is "probably the greatest all-time all-around baseball player to have played the game" -- and someone who's well-deserving of such a grand tribute.

Mays, of course, has as good of a case as anyone for the honor ... as he played in over 3,000 games, hit 660 home runs, and tallied a .301 batting average. He also won two MVPs and was named an All-Star a staggering 24 times.