Players who switched dugouts

Examining some recent same-day, same-park trades

September 1st, 2018

meandered his way from the home to the visiting clubhouse on Friday as part of a trade that sent the left-hander from the Nationals to the Brewers. It was a baseball quirk of sorts, but very much one that has been part of the game for years. It actually happens more often than one might assume.
With that in mind, here's a look at other similar trades that involved clubs occupying the same stadium on the date of the transaction.

D-backs acquire LHP Jake Diekman
Rangers acquire RHP Wei-Chieh Huang
July 31, 2018

Diekman put the newly installed D-backs' bullpen cart to use, riding from one dugout to the other during a mid-July Interleague series in Phoenix.
"When I talked to Jake, I was like, 'It's going to be a little bit of a weird day today,' and he said, 'Can I take the bullpen cart over?'" said D-backs general manager Mike Hazen. "And I said, 'You can do whatever you want.'"

Reds acquire RHP Matt Harvey
Mets acquire C and cash considerations
May 8, 2018

As on- and off-the-field struggles for Harvey persisted, the one-time face of the franchise was dealt to the rebuilding Reds just six weeks into the 2018 season. Though Harvey wasn't at Great American Ball Park, having been designated for assignment, Mesoraco swapped clubhouses on the day of the deal.
"Just kind of surreal," Mesoraco said. "A whirlwind. A lot happened in 15 minutes."

Blue Jays acquire RHP
Astros acquire RHP Guadalupe Chavez
Aug. 1, 2016

As they looked to bolster their pitching staff ahead of what wound up being a second straight postseason appearance, the Blue Jays traded for Feldman while the struggling Astros were in town. The Jays wanted to avoid Feldman throwing that day, but when the game ran into the 14th inning, they had no choice but to put him in, and he yielded a walk-off double to former teammate .
"It's somewhat uncomfortable," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "A few hours ago, he's in our clubhouse and a big part of our chemistry and our culture and then we walk him off. Obviously, as competitors, as soon as he changes uniforms, you change your affection for that guy, but I legitimately have some weird feelings about seeing him on the other side."

Blue Jays acquire OF Melvin Upton Jr. and cash considerations
Padres acquire RHP Hansel Rodriguez
July 26, 2016

Upton had perhaps the most bizarre experience of going from one dugout to another: He literally wasn't allowed to. Upton required a U.S. work visa to work in Canada, which forced him to make a three-hour car ride to Queenston, Ontario, to obtain the document. Upton did make it back in time to pinch hit for the Blue Jays in the bottom of the seventh inning.
"About an hour-and-a-half ride there," Upton said to the New York Times. "Sat at border patrol for a little while, jumped in the car and came back. It all went pretty smoothly."

Braves acquire 3B Juan Uribe and RHP Chris Withrow
Dodgers acquire INF , LHP , LHP and RHP
May 27, 2015

Uribe was the centerpiece, but the deal went through some hurdles when Callaspo, who was eligible to block the trade, did so at first after finding out that he'd been dealt when his name was removed from the lineup. Once the trade was finalized, just ahead of first pitch that night, Uribe went to the opposing dugout.
"I had some great times here, four-plus years here, and I want to thank God for the chance I had with the Dodgers and now the opportunity I'm going to get with the Braves," Uribe said. "I'm happy to still be playing baseball. Any time anybody wants you, it's a good thing."

Nationals acquire OF David DeJesus
Cubs acquire player to be named
Aug. 19, 2013

Just after acquiring DeJesus across the hallway at Wrigley Field, the Nationals placed the then-33-year-old on waivers as part of an attempt to flip him, and did so four days later in a trade with the Rays.
Orioles acquire RHP
Astros acquire LHP and OF L.J. Hoes
July 31, 2013

In a deal that has become more paramount this season, perhaps due to Hader's rise, the Orioles traded for Norris while they were in Baltimore at the non-waiver Trade Deadline. In return, the Astros acquired Hoes and Hader, who didn't have to swap dugouts because he didn't reach the Majors until he was later traded to the Brewers. Now, of course, Hader is one of the game's best relievers.
"I'm excited for the future," Norris said. "I pitched my way into this situation to be traded and help out a team. This [Baltimore] team is a young club, they know how to contend."

Mariners acquire OF
Blue Jays acquire RHP Steve Delabar
July 30, 2012

After shooting through the Minors in the Blue Jays' system, Thames began the journeyman part of his early career when he was traded from Toronto to Seattle ahead of the Deadline while the club was in Seattle, though he didn't make it into the lineup until two days after the transaction.
Yankees acquire OF
Mariners acquire RHP Danny Farquhar and RHP D.J. Mitchell
July 23, 2012

Even though the 38-year-old Ichiro had requested the trade from the rebuilding Mariners and was dealt to the Yankees before the series opener, the Safeco Field crowd gave their franchise legend a 45-second standing ovation as he bowed twice to the crowd before he singled and stole second in his first at-bat with the Yankees.
"It is hard for me to concisely express my feelings," Ichiro said. "When I imagined taking off the Mariner uniform, I was overcome with sadness. It has made this a very difficult decision to make."

Tigers acquire OF
Twins acquire RHP and LHP Cole Nelson
Aug. 15, 2011

Young heard about the trade before the game, but figured he'd take the Twins' team bus to the stadium anyway with his old team instead of grabbing a cab. But news of the transaction had not fully spread, and when he walked into the home clubhouse at Comerica Park, he had to explain to his new teammates that he wasn't just there to fraternize with the enemy.
"There's a lot of guys who are stunned in our clubhouse, especially in this situation, where he just walked from our clubhouse across 8 Mile and into their clubhouse," then-Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said at the time. "I saw that in a movie, and I thought it would be appropriate in Detroit."

Giants acquire OF Mike Fontenot
Cubs acquire OF Evan Crawford
Aug. 11, 2010

Just months before winning their first of three World Series titles in the Bruce Bochy era, the Giants traded for Fontenot while the Cubs were in town for a series at AT&T Park. In his final game with the Cubs, Fontenot laced a two-run, pinch-hit double in the eighth inning to help defeat the Giants, 8-6, two nights before making his debut with San Francisco. 
"I wish we had him a day earlier," Bochy told ESPN.com at the time. 
Dodgers acquire RHP Jon Garland
D-backs acquire player to be named later
Aug. 31, 2009

Garland knew something was off when he started receiving a flurry of text messages during the game, and the trade was made official during the top of the eighth inning of the series opener between the clubs. He showered, got dressed and made his way to the home clubhouse -- and started the series finale against his old team three days later, allowing two runs in seven strong innings.
"This late in the season coming to a team that's been going strong, they might feel they don't need anybody," Garland said to the San Diego Union-Tribune. "They've done all the work. I don't want to feel like I'm sliding in easy. Hopefully they accept me well."
Giants acquire INF Freddy Sanchez
Pirates acquire RHP Tim Alderson
July 29, 2009

Two days after acquiring Ryan Garko from the Indians, the Giants added 2006 National League batting champion Sanchez as part of an ultimately failed playoff push. After a 1-0, 10-inning loss to the Giants with his old club, Sanchez hurriedly said his goodbyes in the Pirates clubhouse before making his way across AT&T Park for an immediate introduction.
"It's crazy," Sanchez said at the time. "I'd be lying if I didn't say it's a little crazy, a little hectic. I'm here for a reason."

Brewers acquire INF Ray Durham
Giants acquire LHP Steve Hammond and OF
July 20, 2008

The veteran Durham was traded on the getaway day of a three-game series between the clubs, but he asked the teams to wait until after the Sunday afternoon game concluded to announce the trade, because he didn't want to suit up against his former team for his first game as a Brewer.
"Personally it was out of respect for the guys in this locker room," Durham said to ESPN at the time. "It really was a stipulation I asked for."

Red Sox acquire 1B Doug Mientkiewicz and INF Orlando Cabrera
Twins acquire LHP Justin Jones
Cubs acquire SS Nomar Garciaparra and OF Matt Murton
Expos acquire SS Alex Gonzalez, INF and RHP Francis Beltran
July 31, 2004

The 2004 non-waiver Trade Deadline was a somber day at the Metrodome for both the Twins' and Red Sox's fans, as Mientkiewicz, a Minnesota fan favorite, made his way over to the Boston clubhouse and the Red Sox saw the stunning departure of franchise icon Garciaparra to the Cubs in a blockbuster four-team trade. Later, in his first Boston at-bat, Mientkiewicz got a rousing ovation from the Minnesota faithful.
Athletics acquire LHP Ricardo Rincon
Indians acquire INF/OF Marshall McDougall
July 30, 2002

It wasn't quite like how the film "Moneyball" depicted it (not even close, in fact), but Billy Beane and the A's did, in fact, add Rincon as a lefty specialist to bolster their bullpen while Cleveland was in town at the Trade Deadline during that memorable 2002 season. Two weeks later, Oakland began its memorable 20-game win streak.
Red Sox acquire RHP Rick Aguilera
Twins acquire RHP Frankie Rodriguez and player to be named
July 6, 1995

The three-time All-Star closer was in the middle of one of the best seasons of what was an 11-year MLB career to that point, with a 2.52 ERA in 22 games, including 12 saves. He returned from the Red Sox to Minnesota in the offseason, finishing his Twins career with 254 saves, second all-time for the club behind Joe Nathan.