Tampa Bay Rays Sign Former Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox Catcher Danny Jansen

Danny Jansen made history when he technically played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox in the same game this season, and now he will continue his AL East tour by joining the Tampa Bay Rays.

Jun 9, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen (9) bats against the Oakland Athletics during the third inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays are in agreement on a one-year contract with free agent catcher Danny Jansen, FanSided’s Robert Murray reported Friday.

The deal, which is still pending a physical, will pay Jansen $8 million in 2024. Per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, he has a mutual option for 2026 that features a $500K buyout.

Murray added that Jansen passed up on multi-year offers from other teams in order to prove himself on a team that will give him consistent playing time.

Jansen, 29, had spent his entire career with the Toronto Blue Jays before he was traded to the Boston Red Sox in July.

Free-agent catcher Danny Jansen and the Tampa Bay Rays are in agreement on a one-year, $8.5 million contract, pending physical, according to sources familiar with the deal. 

Jansen had multi-year offers, but chose to bet on himself coming off a down season, and goes to a place…

— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) December 6, 2024

That trade helped Jansen make history in August, when he subbed in for the Red Sox in a previously suspended game against the Blue Jays. Jansen had been in Toronto’s starting lineup when the contest officially started in June, so he wound up becoming the first MLB player ever to appear for two teams in the same game.

Jansen made his MLB debut in 2018, and was the Blue Jays’ top backstop in 2019. After initially splitting time with Reese McGuire, Jansen eventually shared catching duties with Alejandro Kirk.

In 2022, Jansen hit .260 with 15 home runs, an .855 OPS and a 2.9 WAR. While his numbers tailed off in 2023, he still racked up 17 homers and a 1.6 WAR.

Jansen hit .205 with a .658 OPS and a 0.7 WAR across 92 games in 2024. He contributed -11 defensive runs saved behind the plate, but kept his defensive WAR at 0.0.

Ben Rortvedt put up a 0.9 WAR in 123 games for the Rays in 2024, seemingly cementing himself on the team’s Opening Day roster for 2025. Outside of him, though, Tampa Bay got inconsistent production out of Alex Jackson, Logan Driscoll and René Pinto, so it made sense that they were in the market for another option at catcher.

At $8.5 million, Jansen immediately becomes the fourth-highest paid player on the Rays’ payroll behind only Yandy Díaz, Brandon Lowe and Jeffrey Springs. His career earnings will approach $20 million by the end of the season.

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