10 Baseball Players who Played for the A’s and Red Sox
There is a good chance that if you’ve found this page then you’re playing the Immaculate Grid.
That also means that today’s grid has asked for players that have played for both the Oakland A’s and the Boston Red Sox.
And, it also means that you’re probably stuck on this particular box and you’re looking for a little help. Sound about right so far?
Well, good news, you’re in the right place.
I’ve done some research and have found players who played for both the Athletics and the Red Sox. This is a mix of well-known All-stars along with some hidden gems that you may have forgotten about.
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson was one of my favorite baseball players growing up. In fact, somewhere in a closet, I have a baseball card binder with over 150 Rickey Henderson baseball cards.
Most of us probably remember Henderson as an Oakland A, back in the late 80s playing on the same A’s teams as the Bash Brothers.
But, he played for an incredible 25 years in the majors and played on 9 different teams during that span.
Rickey played 14 years with the A’s, but he also played for the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, LA Dodgers, Anaheim Angels, Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays.
So, not only is he an acceptable answer for a player who played for both the A’s and the Red Sox, but Rickey Henderson is a very versatile Immaculate Grid answer that you can use quite often.
In fact, he also had over 1400 career stolen bases, over 2200 runs and over 3000 hits (all of which could appear as possible categories).
Dennis Eckersley
My favorite closer of all time who I remember as the side arm closer of the Oakland A’s back in the late 80’s is a Hall of Famer who played for 5 different teams over his 24 year career.
In addition to playing 9 seasons with the A’s, he also played for the Red Sox, Cubs, Indians and Cardinals.
If you’re also looking for stat columns, Eckersley had 390 saves in his career with a career-high of 51 in 1992 (with Oakland). He also has over 2400 strikeouts in his career – 200 in 1976 with the Indians.
Johnny Damon
Johnny Damon had a successful 18-year Major League Baseball career, most notably with the Kansas City Royals, Boston Red Sox, and New York Yankees. A talented outfielder and proficient leadoff hitter, he recorded a .284 career batting average with 2769 hits, 235 home runs, and 408 stolen bases.
Damon’s speed and ability to get on base were valuable assets, helping both the Red Sox in 2004 and the Yankees in 2009 secure World Series Championships.
Known for his affable personality and distinctive long hair and beard during his time with the Red Sox, Damon was a fan favorite and an influential figure in the clubhouse. He was named to the All-Star team twice, in 2002 and 2005.
*Damon was the most popular player for this square in a previous grid (Grid 143)
Damon Key Stats
- All-Star (Red Sox)
- 40+ Stolen Base Season (Royals)
Jon Lester
Jon Lester was a powerhouse pitcher in baseball from 2006 until 2021. He’s thrown for the Red Sox, Cubs, Nationals, Cardinals and Athletics. Lester was a part of the Red Sox’s World Series wins in ’07 and ’13, and also helped the Cubs break their 108-year championship drought in 2016.
He finished his career with exactly 200 wins and struck out more than 2,400 batters. Lester was also a 5-time All-Star and NLCS MVP.
Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar Garciaparra is best known for his time with the Boston Red Sox, where he was a key figure in the team’s success in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Garciaparra had an immediate impact in the league, winning the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1997. Known for his unique batting stance and exceptional hitting abilities, he won two consecutive batting titles in 1999 and 2000, hitting .357 and .372 respectively.
He was a six-time All-Star and a consistent offensive force, achieving a .313 career batting average with 229 home runs. In addition to the Red Sox, he also played for the Cubs, Dodgers, and Athletics.
Garciaparra Key Stats
- Rookie of the Year (Red Sox)
- All-Star (Red Sox, Dodgers)
- Silver Slugger (Red Sox)
- .300+ Career Average (Red Sox, Dodgers, Cubs, Athletics)
- 200+ Hits Season (Red Sox)
- 100+ RBI Season (Red Sox)
- .300 Batting Average Season (Red Sox, Dodgers)
Matt Stairs
Matt Stairs had a lengthy Major League career that spanned from 1992 to 2011, during which he played for 12 different teams, essentially making him an Immaculate Grid Hall-of-Famer.
Known for his power-hitting abilities, primarily as a pinch-hitter, he hit 265 home runs over his career and holds the record for the most pinch-hit home runs in MLB history with 23. Stairs had a career batting average of .262 with an OPS of .832, and recorded 899 RBIs.
Notably, in the 2008 postseason with the Philadelphia Phillies, he hit one of the most famous home runs in Phillies history, helping the team move onto the World Series that year.
Coco Crisp
Coco Crisp was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh round of the 1999 MLB Draft and went on to play in the big leagues for 15 seasons. Crisp had memorable stops with the Indians, Red Sox, and Athletics.
In 2007, as a member of the Red Sox, he won the World Series, contributing significantly with his base running and fielding. While with Oakland, Crisp led the American League in stolen bases in 2011 with 49.
Over his career, Crisp compiled a batting average of .265, along with 130 home runs, 639 RBIs, and 309 stolen bases. Known for his energetic play and unique name, Crisp remains a fan favorite in the cities where he played.
Josh Reddick
Josh Reddick is an MLB outfielder known for his strong defensive play and solid offensive contributions. After starting his career with the Boston Red Sox in 2009, he had his breakout season with the Oakland Athletics in 2012 when he won a Gold Glove and hit 32 home runs.
Reddick then went on to play for the Houston Astros from 2017 to 2020, where he contributed to the team’s 2017 World Series championship.
For his career, Reddick was a .262 hitter with 146 home runs and 575 RBIs.
Bartolo Colon
Bartolo Colon, affectionately known as “Big Sexy”, was a fixture on the mound in baseball from 1997 until 2018. He played for a whole bunch of teams (11), which makes him an extremely versatile player for the Immaculate Grid.
Colon’s career stops included the Indians (now Guardians), Dodgers, Mets, Athletics, White Sox, Twins, Braves, Red Sox, Rangers, Montreal Expos and Yankees.
Colon was a 4-time All-Star and even bagged a Cy Young Award in 2005. He had over 240 wins and more than 2,500 strikeouts.
Jonny Gomes
Jonny Gomes, who played from 2003 to 2015, is best known for his time as an outfielder with the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox.
In his 13-year career, Gomes accumulated over 800 hits, hit 162 home runs, and maintained a .242 career batting average. A key figure in the clubhouse, he was part of the 2013 World Series-winning Red Sox team and is remembered for his pivotal home run in Game 4 of the series.
His best season came in 2005 with the Rays when he hit .282 with 21 home runs and 54 RBIs.
