10 Baseball Players who Played for Mets and Dodgers
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 New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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 you 10 players who played for both the Mets and the Dodgers. Some are well-known all-stars and some are very good, but possibly under-the-radar players that could land you a low rarity score.
Popular Choices
Players in this tier are popular choices because of the impact they made with both teams or the recency with which they played for each team (often both).
Max Scherzer
Max Scherzer, known for his distinctive different-colored eyes, has been a force to reckon with in baseball since he started in 2008. He’s played for several teams, including the Diamondbacks, Tigers, Nationals, Dodgers and Mets.
Scherzer’s a three-time Cy Young Award winner and played a crucial role in the Nationals’ World Series win in 2019.
Scherzer is still active (as of 2023) and has over 3,000 strikeouts with a career-high of 300 in 2018 with the Nationals. Despite moving around a bit, Max has consistently been a top-tier pitcher in the majors.
*Scherzer has been the most popular pick for this square in a previous grid (Grid 100).
Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Strawberry, who played from 1983 to 1999, is most recognized for his time as an outfielder with the New York Mets and the New York Yankees.
Strawberry had a powerful career, notching 1000 RBIs, 335 home runs, and a .259 career batting average. An eight-time All-Star (Mets, Dodgers), he was named the National League’s Rookie of the Year in 1983 (Mets). Strawberry’s best season might have been 1987, when he hit 39 home runs with 104 RBIs and a .284 batting average.
Despite battling personal issues off the field, Strawberry was part of three World Series-winning teams, showcasing his ability to perform at the highest level.
Rare Choices
Rare Choices are guys that are likely well-remembered in one uniform, but not necessarily the other.
Hideo Nomo
Hideo Nomo was a trailblazing pitcher who played from 1995 to 2008. Best known for his time with the Dodgers, he also played for one year each with the Royals, Rays, Mets, Red Sox, Tigers and Brewers.
Nomo was the first Japanese player in the MLB in the modern era and he immediately made a splash, earning the Rookie of the Year award in 1995.
Known for his distinctive “tornado” delivery, Nomo racked up over 120 wins and more than 1,900 strikeouts during his career including a National League leading 236 in his rookie season.
He also threw two no-hitters, one of them in the notoriously hitter-friendly Coors Field.
Adrian Gonzalez
Adrian Gonzalez, who played from 2004 to 2018, made his mark as a first baseman primarily with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. However, he also suited up for the Rangers, Red Sox and Mets in his 15 year career.
Gonzalez was a formidable player, notching over 2,000 hits, 317 home runs, and maintaining a .287 career batting average. He was a five-time All-Star (Padres, Red Sox, Dodgers) and won four Gold Glove Awards (Padres, Red Sox, Dodgers), solidifying his reputation as both a powerful hitter and excellent fielder.
Even though he’s probably best known as a Padre or Dodger, his best season arguably came in 2011 with the Red Sox when he hit .338 (led the majors with 213 hits) with 27 home runs and 117 RBIs.
Bobby Bonilla
Bobby Bonilla was a big-hitter whose career spanned from 1986 to 2001, playing for 8 different teams over that time. You may know him as a Pirate, Met or Marlin but he also played for the Orioles, Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers and White Sox.
Bonilla helped the Marlins grab a World Series ring in ’97. He hit over 280 home runs and 400 doubles during his career. He was a six-time All-Star.
But what he’s most famous for is his contract with the Mets, who still pay him over a million bucks every July 1 (known as “Bobby Bonilla Day”) due to a deferred payment deal. So even though there were some bumps, Bonilla definitely made a mark in baseball, both on and off the field.
Ultra Rare Choices
Guys in this tier are still good players (or even great players), but most fans will not associate them with the Dodgers or Mets.
Jeff Kent
Jeff Kent was a powerhouse from 1992 to 2008. Like me, most of you probably think of him as a San Francisco Giant, but Kent also played for the Mets, Dodgers, Astros, Indians (now Guardians) and Blue Jays.
A second baseman with serious pop in his bat, Kent earned the MVP title in 2000 with the Giants. He had 33 home runs that year with 125 RBIs.
Over his career, he hit over 370 home runs, racked up more than 1,500 RBIs, and had an impressive 560 doubles. Kent was selected for the All-Star game five times.
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 Mets and the Dodgers, 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).
Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield was a beast on the baseball field and is a beast on the Immaculate Grid. He played from 1988 to 2009, suiting up for eight different teams – Marlins, Dodgers, Brewers, Yankees, Braves, Padres, Tigers and Mets.
Sheffield helped the Marlins snag a World Series Championship in ’97. Over his career, he cranked out 509 home runs (one of 28 players who hit over 500) and had a solid .292 batting average.
Sheffield was a nine-time All-Star, but his multiple stops along his career are what makes him really stand out for this particular game.
Eddie Murray
Eddie Murray had a 21-year career in major league baseball. He spent most of his time with the Baltimore Orioles, but also played for other teams like the Dodgers, Cleveland Indians (now the Guardians), Mets and Angels.
Murray was a crucial player in the Orioles’ ’83 World Series win. He finished his career with 504 home runs, 3255 hits (one of 33 players over 3000) and a career .287 batting average. This switch-hitter was an 8-time All-Star and landed in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
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.
