Historic switcheroo: Jansen officially set to play for two teams in one game

BOSTON -- The start of Monday’s continuation of a suspended game between the Red Sox and Blue Jays will be history-making.

Toronto’s Danny Jansen was at the plate on June 26 at Fenway Park in the top of the second with one out and the count 0-1 when play was halted by rain.

On July 27, Jansen was traded to the Red Sox for three prospects.

So not only will the continuation on Monday at 2:05 ET start with the Blue Jays sending up a pinch-hitter for Jansen, but Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed Friday that he will put Jansen in behind the plate to replace Reese McGuire.

The same McGuire who was designated for assignment and eventually outrighted to Triple-A Worcester as a corresponding roster move for the Red Sox acquiring Jansen.

Once all this happens, Jansen will become the first player in Major League history to appear in the same game for both teams. The box score will surely be framed somewhere in the Jansen household.

The announcement in the press box should go something like this: [Insert name of pinch-hitter here] is hitting for Danny Jansen. Defensive substitution for the Red Sox. Danny Jansen replacing Reese McGuire at catcher.

The continuation game will be part of a day-night doubleheader between the squads on Monday, so Jansen was sure to be behind the plate for one of them. The way Cora saw it, why not make some history?

Unprompted, Cora announced the upcoming bit of history.

“Monday, [Jansen] will play Game 1 by the way, for all the people that have been looking at history,” said Cora. “I’ve been getting texts from Jayson Stark [of the Athletic] and [ESPN’s] Buster Olney, ‘Is he catching?’ Yeah he’s catching. Let’s make history,” said Cora.

The buzz for this possibility started as soon as Jansen was dealt to Boston. In fact, he was asked about it in his introductory media availability with the Sox.

“I don’t even know how this works,” Jansen said. “I've heard about it a couple times. That'd be funky. I’m down 0-1. I don’t want to strike out.”

While Jansen will be the first to play for both teams in the same game at the Major League level, there's at least one example of it happening in the Minor Leagues.

Dale Holman played for both the Syracuse Chiefs and Richmond Braves in the same Triple-A game in 1986.

Holman was with Syracuse (then the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate) when the game began in June. It was suspended due to rain, and by the time it resumed on Aug. 16, the outfielder had been released by the Blue Jays and had signed on with the Braves. Holman started at Double-A with Atlanta, but he was promoted to Triple-A just in time for the resumed game.

Holman went 1-for-1 with Syracuse when the game started, and 2-for-2 for Richmond when it continued. All in all, a 3-for-3 game … with hits for both teams.