‘Strange and interesting’: Danny Jansen on making MLB history with Jays and Red Sox

'It’s such a strange thing. I never would have imagined myself in this situation with it being history,' former Jays catcher says

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Published Aug 27, 2024  •  3 minute read

Boston Red Sox catcher Danny Jansen gets a pat on the back from the Toronto Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho, who pinch-hit for Jansen, during the resumption of the second inning of a baseball game which was delayed due to rain in June, against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. Photo by Charles Krupa /AP Photo

Catcher Danny Jansen went into the history books Monday when he became the first player in Major League Baseball history to compete for two different teams in one game.

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Jansen, who was catching for the Toronto Blue Jays when their game against the Boston Red Sox was postponed back on June 26, suited up for the opposing team when the match resumed play in the second inning at Fenway Park on Monday afternoon.

Jansen, who was drafted by the Jays in the 16th round back in 2013, was traded to Boston last month for three minor league prospects.

With Jansen in the lineup catching for the Red Sox, his dual appearance was a stat that had never happened before in the history of baseball, according to Major League Baseball.

The Blue Jays marked the occasion by sharing side-by-side photos of the player sporting both teams’ uniforms.

“Long at-bat, huh,” the team captioned the post on X.

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When the game resumed at the top of the second inning, the Jays penciled in centre fielder Daulton Varsho to pinch-hit for Jansen, who now was behind the plate for the Red Sox.

After the Jays triumphed over the Red Sox 4-1, the MLB’s official X account jokingly celebrated the event with a post that read: “You win some, you lose some. Just ask Danny Jansen.”

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Jansen finished the game going 1-for-4 for Boston after notching a hit off Ryan Yarbrough.

The Red Sox went on to lose the second game of the doubleheader 7-3.

Afterwards, Jansen reflected on his history-making day.

“I guess it hasn’t fully hit me yet,” the 29-year-old right-handed hitter said after the game (per the MLB). “I was surprised when I found out I was the first one to do it. So it’s cool. Leaving a stamp like that on the game, it’s strange and it’s interesting. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have that. And at the end of the day, it’s a cool thing.”

Jansen told reporters he was surprised that quirky oddity had never happened before in the game.

“Everybody keeps saying history is being made,” Jansen said. “It’s such a strange thing. I never would have imagined myself in this situation with it being history. I guess I would have assumed it would have happened before. That’s one of the first thoughts that went through my mind.”

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Jansen added that he never has been a “crazy box-score guy,” but said he will have a keepsake from the day somewhere in his home.

The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., was also on hand to obtain items from the game to put on display at the museum.

“I’m gonna get a jersey (to them) for sure,” Jansen said. “And then I wore two jerseys today to authenticate them. I really haven’t figured that one out (entirely), but that’s a pretty cool thing too.”

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he was glad to be able to facilitate the historic occasion.

“It was a very cool moment,” Cora told reporters. “Just to be part of it. I don’t know if it’s going to happen again. It has to be a perfect storm for that to happen, starting with a storm. But I’m glad everyone enjoyed it.”

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Jays skipper John Schneider said he was glad to see his former player make his way into the history books.

“I’ve known Jano forever and it’s something cool that he can always kind of say he was the first at, and he’s good at weird stuff. Pretty cool for him,” Schneider said.

On social media, fans reacted with enthusiasm with one person dubbing Jansen “a legend now,” while another called it “one of the wildest things you will ever see in a MLB baseball game.

“He not only played for both teams, but he also started an at-bat as the hitter and ended the same at-bat as the catcher,” another observed. “The odds of this happening again are probably more remote than a pitcher throwing back-to-back perfect games.”

While Jansen’s feat was the first at the Major League level, according to the MLB there’s one example of it happening in the minor leagues back in 1986.

Dale Holman played for both the Syracuse Chiefs and Richmond Braves in the same ,triple-A game in 1986.

When asked if he still had his jersey from the June 26 game, Jansen said: “Actually, I don’t think I do. Maybe I should try to get it.”

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