Defying the immutable laws of physics that say one cannot occupy two different locations at once, Danny Jansen, a relatively unremarkable player for the Boston Red Sox, etched his name into the annals of baseball lore on Monday night. He became the first Major League Baseball (MLB) player to don the jerseys of both competing teams in the same game – an event comprised of a highly improbable confluence of events.
On June 26, Jansen took to the field for the Toronto Blue Jays in an away game against the Red Sox. The game, however, was abruptly halted and then postponed due to torrential rains. The very next day, Jansen was traded to Boston. Fast forward 65 days, 18 hours and 35 minutes, and Jansen was back on the field, but this time wearing the uniform of his new team, stepping into history as he resumed the game.
And the 29-year-old catcher did not merely play for both teams in the same game; he achieved this unique milestone within the same inning! He began the second inning as a batter for one team and concluded it as the catcher for the opposing side.
"I was taken aback when I realized I was the first to do it," Jansen remarked, after his new team eventually lost 7-3. "It's thrilling to leave such an indelible mark on the game. It's intriguing and a bit surreal. I am profoundly grateful for the chance to do this."
As whispers of Jansen's potential to make history began to circulate last week, a whirlwind of excitement swept through the sports media across the United States. Alex Cora, the Red Sox's coach, confirmed that he would seize the moment to allow Jansen this unprecedented opportunity. After the game, he reflected: "It's incredibly cool to be part of this. I don't know if it will ever happen again."