Boston Red Sox catcher Danny Jansen made baseball history on Monday, becoming the first major leaguer to play for both teams in the same game.
The unusual feat became possible when the June 26 game between the Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays was suspended by rain. Jansen played for Toronto at the time, but was traded to Boston on July 27.
He substituted for Reese McGuire at catcher when the game resumed in the second inning. (McGuire was designated for assignment when the Red Sox acquired Jansen.) Batting seventh in the lineup, Jansen lined out to first base in his first at-bat, officially going in the record books for something no other MLB player had done before.
(Jansen took over for Emmanuel Valdez, who was demoted to the minors in early July.)
With the June 26 game scheduled to be made up as the first half of a doubleheader on Monday, Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced that Jansen would play in the game.
“Let’s make history!” Cora told reporters on Friday.
The June 26 game was tied 0–0 in the bottom of the second inning when it was suspended. Jansen was actually batting for the Blue Jays with one out and a runner on, and he was behind in the count 0–1 at the time. Daulton Varsho substituted for him in the Toronto lineup on Monday.
Jansen, 29, came into Monday’s game batting .257 with a .794 OPS, two home runs and five RBI. With Toronto, he played 61 games, compiling a .212 batting average, .671 OPS, 13 doubles, six homers and 18 RBI.
