Danny Jansen’s former team beat his current squad on Monday as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Boston Red Sox 4-1 in the first game of a doubleheader.
Now a catcher for the Red Sox, Jansen became the first player in major league history to play in the same game for both teams. “I was surprised to find out I was the first one that happened to,” Jansen said. “It’s cool to be a part of baseball history in this way. It’s both interesting and strange. I’m grateful for it.”
When he took the field to continue the game that began last June, Jansen was wearing a Red Sox uniform this time, while he had started the game in a Blue Jays uniform.
On June 26, Jansen was batting second and leading the Jays pitchers behind the plate when the game was stopped in the second inning. He was traded to the Red Sox last month.
On Monday, he took a position behind the plate when pinch hitter Daulton Varsho struck out to end the inning, completing the at-bat started by Jansen.
Making history
A checker was on hand to identify Jansen’s equipment, and the Baseball Hall of Fame requested the game card from official scorekeeper Bob Ellis, who was also on duty when the game began in June.
“It was very cool “It’s great to be a part of a moment like that,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “I don’t know if it’s going to happen again.”
When the stadium opened to the public, the scoreboards showed Jansen, in his Jays uniform, as the next batter to come up to bat. The umpires then had a long discussion with the coaches as they brought the most bizarre offensive roles in history to the plate.
When the game got underway, Jansen got one of the Red Sox hits, a single in the fifth inning.
Jays Victory
George Springer hit a ball over the Green Monster to break a 0-0 tie in the seventh. The Blue Jays added three runs in the eighth, two of them on a double by Vladimir Guerrero. Guerrero crossed the plate after Addison Barger’s double.
Zach Pop (1-3) recorded the win and Chad Green picked up his 15th save and struck out Jansen to end the game.
Jarren Duran homered for the Red Sox.
Kutter Crawford started the game for Boston in June, but it was Nick Pivetta (5-9) who took the mound in the second half. He allowed three runs, two earned, and four hits in six innings on the mound.
Boston is five games out of the final playoff spot in the American League.
“We’ve been missing something for a while now,” Cora admitted. “I don’t know if it’s the pressure or the quality of the pitchers we’ve faced. We can do better, we know that. We’re going to turn the tide.”