The best baseball players born on Aug. 2

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar.

Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Aug. 2.

1) Tim Wakefield (1966)

One of the best knuckleball pitchers of all time during his 19-year career -- including 17 with the Red Sox -- Wakefield was 200-180 with a 4.41 ERA and 2,156 strikeouts over 3,226 1/3 innings. At the age of 40, he won 17 games for Boston and he was an All-Star at age 42 in 2009. He was a member of two Red Sox World Series winners in 2004 and ’07.

Wakefield, who was admired as much for his philanthropic efforts off the field as his accomplishments on it, succumbed to brain cancer in 2023.

2) Grady Sizemore (1982)

Sizemore had a blossoming superstar career going until injuries robbed him of what might have been a Hall of Fame resume. By the age of 25, he already had 111 home runs and 127 OPS+ for Cleveland as its center fielder over four-plus seasons from 2004-08. Subpar results followed along with multiple surgeries to his knees, back, elbow, abdominal muscle and groin. Following a two-year absence in 2012-13, he unsuccessfully tried to rekindle his spark with the Red Sox, Phillies and Rays. The three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner was finished by the age of 33 with 150 homers.

3) Huston Street (1983)

A closer and the 2005 American League Rookie of the Year, Street was a two-time All-Star who collected 324 saves over his 13-year career from 2005-17 with the A’s, Rockies, Padres and Angels. In 668 games, he posted a 2.95 career ERA, 665 strikeouts and a 1.07 WHIP.

4) Paul DeJong (1993)

DeJong broke in big a young Cardinals shortstop in 2017, when he hit 25 home runs and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting. By 2019, he was an NL All-Star and hit 30 homers with 78 RBIs over 159 games.

5) Tom Burgmeier (1943)

During a 17-year career with the Royals, Twins, Red Sox and A’s, the left-handed reliever and occasional starter was 79-55 with a 3.23 ERA in 745 games. With Boston in 1980, Burgmeier was named to the All-Star Game as he went on to post a 2.00 ERA in 62 appearances as a 38-year-old.

Want to see more baseball birthdays for Aug. 2? Find the complete list on Baseball Reference.