Photo by Keith Allison 
On Friday (September 9, 2022), righthander Edwin Jackson – who played for more major-league teams (14) than any other player – officially announced his retirement from the playing field. The announcement came on his 39th birthday and on the 19th anniversary of his first appearance on a major league-mound.
While Baseball Roundtable has written about Jackson’s travels before, this seems an appropriate to to again reflect on his career and, in The Roundtable’s “one things leads to another” tradition, also take a look at Jackson’s unexpected no-hitter, and a few other record-setting journeymen.
Jackson, who has not pitched in the major leagues since 2019, had a career record of 108-133, 4.78 in 412 MLB games (318 starts) over 17 seasons. In 1,960 innings pitched, he fanned 1,508 and walked 779. Jackson was an All Star in 2009, when he went 13-9, 3.62 in 33 starts for the Tigers. In his MLB career, he won ten or more games in five seasons. In six of his 17 MLB seasons, Jackson pitched for more than one major-league team.
Jackson’s record – year-by-year and team-by-team.
How did he do it?
2001
- Drafted by the Dodgers in June.
2003
- Debuted with the Dodgers on September 9.
2006
- June 14 – Traded by the Dodgers to the Rays. (Jackson and Chuck Tiffany for Danys Baez and Lance Carter.)
2008
- December 10 – Traded by the Rays to the Tigers. (Jackson for Matthew Joyce.)
2009
- December 8 – Went from the Tigers to the Diamondbacks in a three-team trade. (The Tigers sent Curtis Granderson to the Yankees; the Yankees sent Phil Coke and Austin Jackson to the Tigers; the Yankees sent Ian Kennedy to the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks sent Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth to the Tigers. So, ultimately, the Tigers turned Jackson and Granderson into Coke, Austin Jackson, Scherzer and Schlereth.)
2010
- July 30 – The Diamondbacks traded Jackson to the White Sox. (Jackson for David Holmberg and Daniel Hudson.)
2011
- July 27 – Jackson was traded by the White Sox to the Blue Jays and (on the same day) from the Blue Jays to the Cardinals. (Jackson went to the Blue Jays – with Mark Teahen – for Jason Frasor and Zach Stewart. He then went to Cardinals – with Octavio Dotel, Corey Patterson and Marc Rzepczynski – for Trevor Miller, Colby Rasmus, Brian Tallet and P.J. Walters.)
- October 30 – Granted free agency
2012
- February 2 – Signed with the Nationals.
- October 29 – Granted free agency.
2013
- Signed with the Cubs.
2015
- July 27 – Released by the Cubs.
- August 14 – Signed with the Braves.
- November 2 – Granted free agency.
2016
- January 13 – Signed with the Marlins.
- June 2 – Released by the Marlins.
- June 29 – Signed with the Padres.
- November 3 – Granted free agency.
2017
- April 5 – Signed with the Orioles.
- June 13 – Granted free agency.
- June 16 – Signed with the Nationals.
- November 2 – Granted free agency.
2018
- January 11 – Signed with the Nationals.
- June 1 – Released by the Nationals.
- June 6 – Signed with the A’s.
- October 29 – Granted free agency.
2019
- April 11 – Signed with the A’s.
- May 19 – Purchased from the A’s by the Blue Jays.
- July 19 – Released by the Blue Jays.
- July 0 Signed by the Tigers.
- October 31 – Granted Free Agency.
2020
- February 3 – Signed by the Diamondbacks.
- May 22 – Released by the Diamondback.
While Jackson had not pitched in the major leagues since 2019, he was part of the U.S. Olympic baseball team that won the Silver Medal in 2012.
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Edwin Jackson’s Unlikely No-Hitter
On June 25, 2010, Edwin Jackson and his Diamondbacks were facing the Rays in Tampa Bay. Jackson, in his eighth MLB season, was playing for his fourth MLB team. Ironically, he had been traded away from the Tigers after his only All Star campaign (2009, when he put up a 13-9, 3.62) record for the Bengals. Jackson got off to a slow start for Arizona and came into the June 25, 2010, game with a 4-6 record and a 5.05 earned run average on the season. That day in Tampa Bay, however, he was unhittable – and unscored upon. Still, despite the 1-0 final score, it wasn’t a classic gem of a no-no.
In his June 25, 2010 no-hitter, Edwin Jackson threw 149 pitches (79 strikes) – acknowledged as the highest total ever in a no-hit game.
Here are just a few facts about Jackson’s no-hitter – one that no one saw coming, particularly after the first three frames.
- Jackson started the game with an earned run average (on the season) north of 5.00.
- Jackson went to a three-ball count on the first four batters he faced – walking two.
- Jackson also walked two more in the second inning and walked the bases full with no one out in the third.
- In the first three innings, Jackson threw 70 pitches.
- For the game, Jackson walked eight and hit a batter – and the Rays left nine runners on base.
- Over his nine innings, Jackson went to a three-ball count on 13 of the 36 batters he faced.
- It was Jackson’s first – and, ultimately, only – complete game of the 2010 season.
Side note: Just five week after his no-hitter, Jackson was traded from the Diamondbacks to the White Sox.
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Now, now about a look at a few other MLB journeymen.
—–Most Teams Played for in a Season—–
In 2018, 32-year-old right-hander Oliver Drake set a new major-league mark by playing for five MLB teams in a single season (previously more than dozen players shared the record at four).
Drake began the season with the Brewers (where he finished the previous campaign). After going 1-0, 6.39 in eleven appearances, he was designated for assignment on May 2 and, on May 5, purchased from the Brewers by the Indians.
He was with the Tribe until the final week in May – going 0-0,with a 12.46 ERA in just four appearances – before again being designated for assignment.
May 31, he was selected off waivers by the Angels. Sixteen days (and 0-1, 10.13 record) later, he was again designated for assignment. He went unclaimed and reported to the Angels’ Salt Lake City Triple-A affiliate – where he was pretty much lights out. That earned him a trip back to Anaheim, where he added four more appearances, with an 0-0, 3.00 record – and was again designated for assignment.
He was picked up (off waivers) by the Blue Jays on July 26 and was there for just two appearances (giving up three runs in 1 2/3 innings) before again being designated for assignment.
On August 3, he was selected off waivers by the Twins – his fifth MLB team of the season – where he found a bit more success and stability. Pitching for his fifth MLB team of the year, Drake finished the season with Minnesota, getting in 19 games and posting a 2.21 ERA an fanning 22 batters in in 20 1/3 innings pitched.What did that get him? In the off-season, he was again designate for assignment.
Oliver Drake finished the 2018 season with an 1-1 record, a 5.29 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings.
For his career, Drake has pitched in six MLB seasons (2015-20 … Orioles, Brewers, Indians, Twins, Angels, Blue Jays, Rays). Over those six campaigns, he has gone 10-10, 4.27, with five saves in 196 appearances.
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—-Most MLB Teams Player for In a Single Day—–
Taking the Field for Two Teams in a Single Day
Three players share the record for the most MLB teams played for in a single day at two. The first two to accomplish this feat were Max Flack and Cliff Heathcote, who were traded for each other between games of a Memorial Day 1922 Cubs/Cardinals doubleheader. (Flack going from the Cubs to the Cardinals and Heathcote vice versa.) The two outfielders each suited up against their previous team for Game Two. Both went hitless in game one of the doubleheader and both collected hits for their new teams in the second game (Flack a single in four at bats, Heathcote a pair of singles in four trips to the plate).
Joel Youngblood tied the record for teams played for in a single day in 1982, adding a twist – he played for and recorded hits for two different teams in two different cities on the same day. Let’s look at Youngblood’s unique achievement.
On August 4, 1982, Youngblood started his day as a member of the New York Mets, who were playing an afternoon game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Youngblood opened the game in center field, batting third. After striking out in the first inning, Youngblood drove in two runs with a single in the top of the third. Youngblood was unexpectedly replaced in center field by Mookie Wilson in the bottom of the fourth – and told by Mets’ manager George Bamberger that he had been traded to the Expos (for a player to be named later).
The Expos were scheduled to play in Philadelphia that night, and Youngblood immediately set out to join his new team. He managed to catch a 6:05 p.m. flight to Philadelphia – eventually arriving at Veterans Stadium with the game in progress. To his surprise, there was an Expos uniform, with his name already sewn on the back, waiting for him. The Expos wasted no time getting their newest player into the game. Manager Jim Fanning sent Youngblood into right field and the number-two spot in the batting order (replacing Jerry White) in the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, Youngblood singled in his first Expos’ at bat. Thus, Youngblood collected base hits for two different teams in two different cities in one day.
Youngblood’s feat is even more startling when you consider the pitchers he touched for his two safeties. In Chicago, it was future Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins; while in Philadelphia, it was future Hall of Famer Steve Carlton.
—-Most MLB Teams Played for by a Position Player —–
Matt Stairs moved around the diamond in his MLB career, primarily as an outfielder, first baseman, DH and pinch hitter. He also moved from team to team, suiting up for position-player record 12 MLB teams (Expos, Red Sox, A’s, Cubs, Pirates, Royals, Rangers, Tigers, Blue Jays, Phillies, Padres and Nationals) in 19 MLB seasons (1992-93, 1995-2011). In 2006, he suited up for the Royals, Rangers and Tigers – going a combined .247-13-51 in 117 games). His career stat line was .262-265-899 in 1,895 games. His best season was either 1998, when he went .294-26-106 in 149 games for the A’s; or 1999, when he went .258-38-102 in 146 games for the Oakland squad. Stairs hit 20 or more home runs in six seasons.
Matt Stairs holds the MLB record for career pinch-hit homers with 23.
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com; Baseball-Almanac.com
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