Danny Jansen, a Major League Baseball catcher, has made history by becoming the first player to play for both teams in the same game. The unprecedented feat occurred when Jansen, who was initially playing for the Toronto Blue Jays, was traded to the Boston Red Sox in July.
The saga began on June 26, when Jansen was batting for the Blue Jays against the Red Sox in a game that was suspended due to rain. A month later, Jansen was traded to the Red Sox, setting the stage for a bizarre twist of fate.
On Monday, August 26, the rain-suspended game resumed, and Jansen found himself in the unusual position of playing against his former team. Despite not featuring in many games for the Red Sox since his move, Jansen was included in the lineup for the historic occasion.
“I don’t even know how this works,” Jansen said to The Athletic after being traded to Boston. “I’ve heard about it a couple times. That’d be funky.”
Jansen’s unique situation became even more remarkable when he was announced as part of the Blue Jays’ lineup for the rescheduled game. “I’m just going to put my head down and play,” Jansen said before the game resumed. “It’s definitely a cool thing.”
After the game, Jansen expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to make history. “Honestly, when I heard about it, I didn’t think I would be the first,” he said. “The game has been around for so long. It’s one of those oddities that happen in this sport. It’s extremely rare and cool.”
Jansen’s historic performance has drawn widespread attention, with the Toronto Blue Jays tweeting, “The first player in @MLB HISTORY to play for both teams in the same game: Danny Jansen.”
Throughout his career, Jansen has played in 13 games for the Red Sox, batting .257 with a .794 OPS, two home runs, and five RBI. While playing for the Blue Jays, he appeared in 61 games, compiling a .212 batting average, .671 OPS, 13 doubles, six home runs, and 18 RBI.
Jansen has announced that he will donate a jersey and the lineup card from the Blue Jays-Red Sox game to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, ensuring that his historic achievement is preserved for posterity.
