Danny Jansen plays for both teams in one MLB game. Here’s how

BOSTON (Reuters) – Blue Jays-turned-Red Sox outfielder Danny Jansen not only played for both teams in the same game – a first in Major League Baseball history.

Played for both teams in the same round.

Jansen became the first major leaguer ever to appear on both sides of a baseball scoreboard when he took the field for Boston on Monday in the resumption of a rain-delayed game he started with Toronto in June — before he was traded to the Red Sox.

“Danny Jansen substitute: Dalton Varsho. Defensive changes: Danny Jansen is now at catcher,” Red Sox media relations coordinator Davison Perez announced in the press box before the first game on Monday afternoon, which came 65 days, 18 hours and 35 minutes after a rain delay.

On June 26, while playing for Toronto, Jansen made an error on the only ball he saw from Cotter Crawford in the second inning before the covers were lifted. On July 27, Jansen was traded from Toronto to Boston. For three little league players.

After Jansen was out on Monday, Nick Pivata was able to get Varsho out to complete Jansen’s strikeout. Jansen then came on for Boston with players out in the bottom half of the field, to a roaring roar from the small crowd, and hit a lazy bunt to first base to end the inning.

There was a person who authenticated all of Jansen’s equipment, and the Baseball Hall of Fame said it requested the scorecard from official scorer Bob Ellis. Ellis also officiated the game when it began in June.

“This card will be a great tool to document and illustrate that history, and showcase Danny Jansen’s name on both teams,” said Hull spokesman John Shestakowski.

When the stadium opened to the public, the scoreboards showed Jansen playing for the Blue Jays—with a picture of him wearing a Toronto cap. And before the first pitch, the umpires had a long chat at home with the coaches, who pulled out some of the strangest lineup cards in baseball history.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora understood the oddity of the occasion and put Jansen in the starting lineup for the make-up game instead of the regularly scheduled night game, saying, “Let’s make history.” (As a backup, Jansen’s primary job is to keep No. 1 catcher Connor Wong from overworking himself.)

Jansen said he was surprised. This had never happened before in the century-and-a-half history of the sport, but it also embraced its place in baseball heritage.

“Anytime you can be part of the history of this great game, it’s unique,” he said.

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