Let's play for two! Traded Jansen to make history
Written by I Dig SportsDanny Jansen will make baseball history Monday when he appears in the same game for both teams.
The unique scenario was set in stone July 27, when the Toronto Blue Jays traded Jansen to the Boston Red Sox -- about a month after a game between the two teams was suspended in the second inning because of severe weather at Fenway Park.
Jansen was in the Blue Jays' lineup that night and set to take his first at bat before the game was called and announced as a split doubleheader for Aug. 26.
A month later, the Red Sox, in need of a right-handed bat, acquired the veteran catcher. On Friday, Boston manager Alex Cora confirmed that Jansen will be in the lineup when the June 26 game resumes Monday afternoon at Fenway.
"Yeah, he's catching," Cora told reporters. "Let's make history."
Jansen called it "definitely a cool thing."
"Definitely grateful," he said. "Honestly, when I heard about it, I didn't think I would be the first. The game has been around for so long. It's one of those oddities that happen in this sport. It's extremely rare and cool."
Reese McGuire had been Boston's catcher for the June 26 game but was assigned outright to Triple-A Worcester after the Jansen trade. He is not currently on the Red Sox's 40-man roster.