They say you can't be in two places at once, but Boston Red Sox catcher Danny Jansen begs to differ.
Jansen on Monday made MLB history by playing for both teams in the same game during the top of the second inning of the Red Sox's game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Here's how and when he did it.
How did Danny Jansen play for both Red Sox and Blue Jays at the same time?
Jansen was a member of the Blue Jays when they took on the Red Sox on July 26. The contest was in the top of the second inning with one on and one out, and Jansen was at the plate with the count 0-and-1. But play was suspended due to rain and rescheduled to a split doubleheader between the two clubs on August 26.
One day later on July 27, Jansen was traded to the Red Sox in exchange for three prospects ahead of the MLB trade deadline, meaning that he was no longer a member of the Blue Jays. Red Sox manager Alex Cora penciled Jansen in as catcher for the resumption of the contest. However, Jansen was still technically at the plate for the Blue Jays, so when play resumed on Monday, Toronto sent up Daulton Varsho as a pinch hitter for Jansen, who was behind the plate for Boston.
Here's the exact history-making moment.
When did Danny Jansen make MLB history?
With this at-bat, Danny Jansen officially becomes the first player in MLB history to play for two different teams in the same game. 😮 pic.twitter.com/tO6dCtyQYd
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 26, 2024
Varsho was pinch hitting for Jansen while Jansen replaced former Red Sox catcher Reese McGuire behind the plate as a defensive substitution.
Unfortunately, Jansen's history-making moment wasn't the smoothest, as he promptly allowed a stolen base with the count 0-and-2.
Danny Jansen is officially the first player in MLB history to play for both teams in the same game.
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) August 26, 2024
He allowed a steal while catching against his own pinch-hitter pic.twitter.com/MIdyhTubA9
Give the guy a break, it's hard to catch and hit at the same time! Both the Red Sox and the Blue Jays had fun with Jansen's historic moment on social media.
Pinch-Hitting for Danny Jansen: Daulton Varsho
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 26, 2024
Now Catching: Danny Jansen
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/PXnVZvbpml
Danny Jansen rn. pic.twitter.com/gEewLAk6gV
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 26, 2024
Things got even stranger when Jansen stepped up to the plate for the Red Sox in the bottom half of the inning.
Danny Jansen at bat in the top of the 2nd and the bottom of the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/w2zgojbgjk
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 26, 2024
Wait, wasn't he just at the plate?
You truly never know what you're going to see at a baseball game.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Boston's Danny Jansen Made Bizarre MLB History By Playing for Both Teams in Same Game.
