8 Baseball Players who Played for the A’s and Cubs
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 Chicago Cubs.
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 on both the A’s and the Cubs.
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.
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.
*Lester was previously the most popular pick for this square (Grid 120)
Ben Zobrist
Ben Zobrist, a versatile player renowned for his switch-hitting capabilities and his ability to play multiple positions, spent 14 seasons in Major League Baseball from 2005 to 2019.
He began his career with the Tampa Bay Rays and was later a key figure in championship teams for the Kansas City Royals in 2015 and the Chicago Cubs in 2016. In his career, Zobrist batted .266 with 167 home runs and 768 RBIs.
He was also selected to the All-Star team three times (Rays, Cubs) and won the World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2016 when he hit a crucial RBI double in Game 7 to help the Cubs win their first championship since 1908.
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.
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)
Rich Hill
Rich Hill is an Immaculate Grid beast. The left-handed pitcher has played for 13 different clubs over his incredible 19-year career – one that is still ongoing as I’m writing this (he’s currently pitching with the Padres).
Hill’s MLB journey began when he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2002. After making his major league debut in 2005, he had initial success with the Cubs, particularly in 2007 when he had a standout season. However, injuries, inconsistency, and command issues led to him bouncing around the minors and various MLB teams for several years.
After refining his pitching approach and mechanics, he experienced a career resurgence starting in 2015. At an age when many players see diminished returns, Hill became one of the most effective starters in baseball. This late-career renaissance led to stints with the Red Sox, Athletics, Dodgers, Twins, and Rays.
Ted Lilly
Ted Lilly pitched for 6 different clubs in his 15-year career, including the Dodgers, Cubs, Yankees, Blue Jays, A’s and Expos.
Lilly was a consistent performer on the mound, racking up over 130 wins and more than 1,600 strikeouts in his career. His ability to mix pitches and locations made him a tough matchup for hitters.
He was a two-time All-Star and his reliability made him a mainstay in Major League rotations for over a decade and possibly one of the greatest #2 pitchers of all time.
Dan Haren
Dan Haren, an effective right-handed pitcher, played from 2003 to 2015 in the Major Leagues. He was a part of eight different organizations, with substantial time spent with the Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Los Angeles Angels.
A three-time All-Star (A’s, Diamondbacks), Haren had a career that featured both durability and consistency, pitching over 200 innings in seven separate seasons.
He had a career 153-131 win-loss record, a solid 3.75 ERA, and an impressive 2013 strikeouts. Known for his control, Haren consistently ranked among the league leaders in strikeout-to-walk ratio.
