Red Sox Catcher Danny Jansen To Be Part Of Wildest MLB Statistical Anomaly

There I was, sitting at my desk at about 5 p.m. with Friday night calling my name. I had just about finished up another article I was writing when the ever-talented Zach Dean sent a doozy of a news alert in our workplace group chat. 

Now, I’m not a guy who has a lack of options for fun on Friday night. I could go rock climbing, finish watching the Death Note (yes, I just admitted I watch anime sometimes), or take a swim at the beach. All of these sound like phenomenal options to me.

Danny Jansen started the year with the Toronto Blue Jays. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

But I could not pass up this opportunity to write about one of the most incredible statistical anomalies you’ll ever see in baseball. So, without further ado, here goes.

The Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays played a game on Wednesday, June 26, that was postponed due to heavy rain. The game was called off in the top of the second inning, and the scheduled make-up date was for exactly 2 months later - August 26. 

Now, there’s nothing special about that, games get canceled and made up later in the season all the time. But the intrigue begins with Red Sox catcher Danny Jansen.

On that day two months ago, Jansen was a Blue Jay playing that game against the Red Sox. When that game got called, Jansen was batting and had an 0-1 count on him, and Reese McGuire was catching for Boston. 

Since then, the Red Sox let go of McGuire (he’s in their farm system now) and acquired Jansen. That creates a bit of a predicament, since Maguire likely wouldn’t get called up for just one game. So what did Red Sox manager Alex Cory decide to do?

He decided to make baseball history.

Cora announced today that Jansen will be catching for Boston on that make-up date next week, and that creates so many statistical nuances, it’s a stats nerd’s dream.

Here’s what this move means:

• The game will resume with Jansen at bat with and 0-1 count, and the Blue Jays will pick a pinch-hitter to bat in his place.
• Consequently, this means Jansen is going to be the catcher for the at bat that he started as the hitter. He won't get official credit for the at-bat because there weren't at least two strikes, but its still pretty sick.
• Additionally, this technically means Jansen is going to be playing for both teams in the same game!
• Both of these anomalies are the first time it will happen ever in the MLB.

Jansen will make history against his former team on Monday as a member of the Boston Red Sox.  (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Now look, I don’t know if that makes you geek out as much as it did for me. But for me, I think that’s one of the coolest things I’m ever going to see in a baseball game ever. There truly is no end to the new things you will see in the sport as a baseball fan.

All right, I hope that made you as happy as it did me. Now it’s time to rock climb and watch anime (not necessarily in that order).