BOSTON — In a historic moment for Major League Baseball, former Toronto Blue Jays and current Boston Red Sox catcher Danny Jansen not only played for both teams in the same game but did so in the same inning. This unprecedented event occurred during the resumption of a rain-delayed game that Jansen had begun in June while still with Toronto before being traded to Boston.
Jansen expressed his surprise at being the first player to accomplish this feat, saying, “It’s cool, leaving a stamp like that on the game. It’s interesting, and it’s strange. And I’m grateful for the opportunity to have that.” In the resumed game, he went 1 for 4 for Boston while also being credited for part of an at-bat for Toronto in the Blue Jays’ 4-1 victory.
The unusual circumstances began when Jansen faced Boston starter Kutter Crawford on June 26, fouling off the only pitch he saw before severe weather forced a delay. Jansen was traded to the Red Sox on July 27, leading to the possibility of this unique occurrence when the suspended game was set to resume.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora made the decision to play Jansen in the resumed game, stating, “Let’s make history.” After the lengthy delay of 65 days, Jansen took the field as a catcher while also pinched hitting for himself in a rare twist.
Jansen struck out a Blue Jays player to finish the at-bat he had begun and then batted for the Red Sox in the same inning, receiving applause from the crowd. “Once you stepped in the box and it was ‘Game on,’ I was just trying to stay present, stay locked in,” he remarked.
The player’s family and friends were present, and they were greeted with a view of Jansen in a Blue Jays cap on the scoreboard upon arrival. Blue Jays manager John Schneider shared his pride in Jansen’s accomplishment, describing it as a special milestone in his career.
Throughout the game, Jansen managed to connect for a hit while wearing jerseys from both teams. He plans to keep one jersey and send another to the Baseball Hall of Fame, which expressed interest in documenting this unique event, requesting the official scorecard from the game.