By: Brian Frank
Danny Jansen came into the Toronto Blue Jays organization when he was just 18 years old. He was the Blue Jays 16th round selection in the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft. Over 11 years later, including seven seasons playing in the big leagues, Jansen has moved on to a new organization. With the Blue Jays essentially out of the playoff race, Toronto’s front office decided to move expiring contracts at this summer’s trade deadline – and the veteran catcher was sent to the Boston Red Sox for a package of minor leaguer players – infielders Cutter Coffey and Eddinson Paulino, and pitcher Gilberto Batista.
“I think just the way the season was going and where I was in the last year of control, it was definitely a thought that I had,” Jansen said of being traded in a recent interview with The Herd Chronicles. “But I tried to just not really worry about it. Just control what I could and try to win each ball game with the Blue Jays. Just control what I could and try to stay out of it.”
Jansen was traded from Toronto to Boston on July 27.
The 29-year-old backstop instantly jumped in the standings when he was moved from a team moving expiring contracts to a team adding veteran players and attempting to make a run at the final American League wild card spot.
“When the trade happened, it was a bit of a whirlwind at first, but each day being here I’m feeling more and more comfortable,” Jansen said. “It’s a great group of guys and a great organization to come into.”
“It’s definitely a cool opportunity,” he continued. “One that I've never been through, but I've seen happen every year with trades and stuff. In years past, we’d have guys that had similar situations. Just anything you can do to help the team at the time. It's an exciting time to be in a race and a push. So, yeah, definitely, it's been rejuvenating coming in and just trying to do anything I can to help the team win.”
As a catcher dedicated to his craft, the trickiest part of being traded midseason is learning an entirely new pitching staff on the fly.
“Like I said, this is a great group to come into,” Jansen said. “The guys are awesome. As a catcher, you know, it almost feels like spring training right away. (Red Sox catcher) Connor Wong's been great – and working with ‘Tek’ (Red Sox Catching Coach Jason Varitek). The pitching staff has been very helpful. Like right off the bat, just trying to acclimate me with the guys, and getting to know them, running me through them, and then just communication with them and getting reps. There were a couple times where maybe a week or two goes by and I still haven't caught one guy, but it seems to be that I caught everybody so far now. But reps are huge and just the communication I think is a big part.”
Jansen being traded to the Red Sox created a very unique situation – the first time in major-league history that a player has played for both teams in the same game. On June 26, the Blue Jays game at Boston was suspended with one out in the top of the second inning with Jansen at the plate with an 0-and-1 count. The game couldn’t be resumed until the next time the Blue Jays visited Fenway Park, which was after Jansen was traded to the Red Sox. So, instead of batting for the Blue Jays when the game resumed, Jansen was behind the plate for the Red Sox – and Blue Jays outfielder Dalton Varsho was pinch-hitting for the guy who was now catching for the other team.
“It was odd,” Jansen chuckled. “I saw something about it when I first got traded, but probably brushed it off a little bit. I wasn't really thinking about it. Then as that game got closer, I think it picked up a lot of steam. Then playing that game… it was cool to do that. It was just an odd thing, right?”
A scorecard from the game has already been sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and other items may follow soon.
“I did wear two jerseys,” Jansen explained. “I got them authenticated. I think we’re still trying to figure out if they want a jersey or something, but I’ve got that ready in case that’s the plan.”
The recent series in Boston was the first time Jansen has ever taken the field against the Blue Jays.
“It was strange, but cool,” he said. “I mean, you know, one organization for 11 years, 12 seasons. But it was cool to see everybody, and then cool to play against them. Yeah, it was cool series.”
In the final game of the series, Jansen faced red-hot Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis. Francis fired seven shutout innings and only allowed one baserunner on a Nick Sogard single in the sixth inning. The 28-year-old hurler has been on an incredible run of late, only allowing two runs in his last four starts (29 IP). In those four starts, Francis has a 0.62 ERA, has held opposing batters to a .065 batting average, and has a 0.31 WHIP, which according to OptaStats is the lowest WHIP over any four-start span by any major-league pitcher in baseball’s modern era. Jansen is very familiar with Francis having caught him over the last two seasons.
“He's got a good fastball,” Jansen said of what’s making Francis so effective. “I think he pitches off his fastball. He also was getting ahead and when you’re in count leverage, it always helps in your favor. He's definitely done a good job. And, just being his teammate, I know he's a hard worker. It was fun to play against him and step into the box against him.”
Now, Jansen is in the other dugout, batting against Francis and the rest of the Blue Jays’ pitching staff, rather than catching them. Rather than helping the Blue Jays make a playoff run, as was the plan coming into the season, he's acclimating himself to a new ballclub. He’s confident the Red Sox can make a run at the final wild card playoff spot and make a deep run in the playoffs.
“I think just keep pushing,” he said. “This team is never out of it. It's a super athletic group. A bunch of guys that play the game really hard and pull for each other. So, it's just about staying within ourselves and continuing on.”
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