The Toronto Blue Jays may not have been in the postseason or World Series this year, but a handful of former players took part this year who suited up for the Jays at some point in their careers. Blue Jays Nation writer<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/three-former-blue-jays-have-punched-their-ticket-to-the-world-series"> Tyson Shushkewich</a> touched on some former Blue Jays players who punched their ticket to this year’s World Series. 
The New York Yankees employed former Blue Jays southpaw Tim Mayza and Mark Leiter Jr. in their bullpen. Former Blue Jays starting pitcher Marcus Stroman was also on the Yankees postseason roster. The Los Angeles Dodgers had Teoscar Hernández, a once well-trusted Blue Jays bat, who won a championship with the Dodgers. Kevin Kiermaier and Daniel Hudson also suited up for Los Angeles and both players ended their careers as champions. 
Off the field, former Blue Jays outfielder and current free agent Kevin Pillar <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/former-blue-jays-outfielder-kevin-pillar-joins-the-sportsnet-broadcast-team-for-world-series-coverage">joined</a> the broadcast panel for Sportsnet, covering the World Series. 
The New York Yankees have not won a World Series since 2009 and will continue to seek one after a 4-1 series loss to the Dodgers.
<h2>Familiar Blue Jays faces in pinstripes in 2009</h2>
In Toronto, fans will remember that dominant Yankees team. Long-time fans will remember from back in the day the bench-clearing that took place in the Bronx, which <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1be-v4QaBE&amp;ab_channel=YankeesFiresideChat">primarily involved</a> Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Carlson and Yankees catcher Jorge Posada. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Kevin Kiermaier is riding off into the sunset with a brand new ring 💍 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldSeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldSeries</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/thehazelmae?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thehazelmae</a> <a href="https://t.co/ItiOKIwWiw">pic.twitter.com/ItiOKIwWiw</a>
&mdash; Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1851845814844342722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
What Blue Jays fans may not remember were some of the iconic Blue Jays alumni who received a 2009 World Series ring with the Yankees that year.  
Let’s start with the names that stand out like Yankees starting pitcher<a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burnea.01.shtml"> A.J Burnett</a>. 
Burnett was an arm that the Blue Jays front office thought would be a remedy to win, inking him to a five-year deal before the 2006 season to try and boost the squad out of the fourth spot in the American League East. In 2008, his final season in Toronto, he started 34 games, won 18 and lost 10. He also led the AL in strikeouts (231). Burnett opted out of his contract before the 2009 season and joined New York on a five-year pact, winning the World Series in his first season with the Yankees.
Next up is a name many fans will remember, especially when he got heckled in Tampa Bay by the same guy every game; <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hinsker01.shtml">Eric Hinske</a>. Hinske was a good luck charm for each team he’s been on, excluding Toronto. 
The natural designated hitter started as a third baseman and was with the Blue Jays from 2002 to 2006.  He was traded for a &#8216;player to be named&#8217; later mid-season and joined the Boston Red Sox. Hinkse made a World Series appearance the year after, winning a ring with Boston. He then made a World Series appearance in 2008 with the Tampa Bay Rays (which they lost) and then the year after, he won the World Series with the Yankees. With the Bronx Bombers, he was on the ALDS roster but removed from the ALCS roster before being re-added to the World Series roster. 
<h2>Former Toronto players who were on the Yankees 2009 World Championship squad</h2>
In the same era, current Tampa Bay Rays manager <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cashke01.shtml">Kevin Cash</a> was another name who had a short stint with Toronto. 
Cash was a second-string catcher from 2002 to 2004 with the Blue Jays. He played alongside Carlos Delgado, Vernon Wells, Josh Phelps, Shannon Stewart and a handful of more iconic names. Cash was also one of the catchers for Blue Jays legend Roy Halladay. Who else did he catch? Blue Jays pitching coach, Pete Walker. He was traded to Tampa following the 2004 season and split his time there and in Boston before signing with the 2009 Yankees. He was released before the postseason. 
Included on this Yankees squad was a very iconic early to mid-2000s Blue Jays arm. If you remember this pitcher, you were a true Jays follower and probably very emotionally distraught from the worst baseball of your life. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/towerjo01.shtml">Right-hander Josh Towers</a> was a former Blue Jay from 2003 to 2007 and joined the team early into the 2009 season. 
Towers had a fitting name relative to the long balls that he served up. In 2006, Towers finished with an 8.42 ERA. In 2009, he joined the Yankees, where he threw a total of 5 and 1 /3 innings late in the year, having spent most of the season in triple-A.
Last but not least, right-hander Chad Gaudin played for Toronto in 2005, before the championship season with New York. Through five appearances (three starts), he compiled a 13.15 ERA through 13 innings.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ TIES IT FOR THE <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DODGERS</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WORLDSERIES?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WORLDSERIES</a> <a href="https://t.co/RZToAqDBHs">pic.twitter.com/RZToAqDBHs</a>
&mdash; MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1851803196009730346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<h2>Players who suited up for the 2009 squad and then found themselves in Toronto</h2>
Further to these names, there are a handful of players who won a ring with New York during that 2009 run and joined the Blue Jays later in their careers.
Former Yankees southpaw Phil Coke signed a MiLB deal with Toronto during the 2015 season and made two appearances. He would become a free agent in mid-June.
Veteran catcher Jose Molina spent three seasons with the Blue Jays after winning the 2009 World Series with New York (two of the three Molina brothers spent time with the Blue Jays). He joined the Tampa Bay Rays for the 2012 season.
After five seasons and a World Series win with the Yankees, right-handed pitcher Chien-Ming Wang made six starts for the Jays in 2013. He toiled in the minors and affiliated ball for a few years before making 38 appearances out of the Kansas City Royals bullpen.

The Toronto Blue Jays may not have been in the postseason or World Series this year, but a handful of former players took part this year who suited up for the Jays at some point in their careers. Blue Jays Nation writer<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/three-former-blue-jays-have-punched-their-ticket-to-the-world-series"> Tyson Shushkewich</a> touched on some former Blue Jays players who punched their ticket to this year’s World Series. 

The New York Yankees employed former Blue Jays southpaw Tim Mayza and Mark Leiter Jr. in their bullpen. Former Blue Jays starting pitcher Marcus Stroman was also on the Yankees postseason roster. The Los Angeles Dodgers had Teoscar Hernández, a once well-trusted Blue Jays bat, who won a championship with the Dodgers. Kevin Kiermaier and Daniel Hudson also suited up for Los Angeles and both players ended their careers as champions. 

Off the field, former Blue Jays outfielder and current free agent Kevin Pillar <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/former-blue-jays-outfielder-kevin-pillar-joins-the-sportsnet-broadcast-team-for-world-series-coverage">joined</a> the broadcast panel for Sportsnet, covering the World Series. 

The New York Yankees have not won a World Series since 2009 and will continue to seek one after a 4-1 series loss to the Dodgers.
<h2>Familiar Blue Jays faces in pinstripes in 2009</h2>
In Toronto, fans will remember that dominant Yankees team. Long-time fans will remember from back in the day the bench-clearing that took place in the Bronx, which <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1be-v4QaBE&amp;ab_channel=YankeesFiresideChat">primarily involved</a> Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Carlson and Yankees catcher Jorge Posada. 

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1851845814844342722

What Blue Jays fans may not remember were some of the iconic Blue Jays alumni who received a 2009 World Series ring with the Yankees that year.  

Let’s start with the names that stand out like Yankees starting pitcher<a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burnea.01.shtml"> A.J Burnett</a>. 

Burnett was an arm that the Blue Jays front office thought would be a remedy to win, inking him to a five-year deal before the 2006 season to try and boost the squad out of the fourth spot in the American League East. In 2008, his final season in Toronto, he started 34 games, won 18 and lost 10. He also led the AL in strikeouts (231). Burnett opted out of his contract before the 2009 season and joined New York on a five-year pact, winning the World Series in his first season with the Yankees.

Next up is a name many fans will remember, especially when he got heckled in Tampa Bay by the same guy every game; <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hinsker01.shtml">Eric Hinske</a>. Hinske was a good luck charm for each team he’s been on, excluding Toronto. 

The natural designated hitter started as a third baseman and was with the Blue Jays from 2002 to 2006.  He was traded for a 'player to be named' later mid-season and joined the Boston Red Sox. Hinkse made a World Series appearance the year after, winning a ring with Boston. He then made a World Series appearance in 2008 with the Tampa Bay Rays (which they lost) and then the year after, he won the World Series with the Yankees. With the Bronx Bombers, he was on the ALDS roster but removed from the ALCS roster before being re-added to the World Series roster. 
<h2>Former Toronto players who were on the Yankees 2009 World Championship squad</h2>
In the same era, current Tampa Bay Rays manager <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cashke01.shtml">Kevin Cash</a> was another name who had a short stint with Toronto. 

Cash was a second-string catcher from 2002 to 2004 with the Blue Jays. He played alongside Carlos Delgado, Vernon Wells, Josh Phelps, Shannon Stewart and a handful of more iconic names. Cash was also one of the catchers for Blue Jays legend Roy Halladay. Who else did he catch? Blue Jays pitching coach, Pete Walker. He was traded to Tampa following the 2004 season and split his time there and in Boston before signing with the 2009 Yankees. He was released before the postseason. 

Included on this Yankees squad was a very iconic early to mid-2000s Blue Jays arm. If you remember this pitcher, you were a true Jays follower and probably very emotionally distraught from the worst baseball of your life. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/towerjo01.shtml">Right-hander Josh Towers</a> was a former Blue Jay from 2003 to 2007 and joined the team early into the 2009 season. 

Towers had a fitting name relative to the long balls that he served up. In 2006, Towers finished with an 8.42 ERA. In 2009, he joined the Yankees, where he threw a total of 5 and 1 /3 innings late in the year, having spent most of the season in triple-A.

Last but not least, right-hander Chad Gaudin played for Toronto in 2005, before the championship season with New York. Through five appearances (three starts), he compiled a 13.15 ERA through 13 innings.

https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1851803196009730346
<h2>Players who suited up for the 2009 squad and then found themselves in Toronto</h2>
Further to these names, there are a handful of players who won a ring with New York during that 2009 run and joined the Blue Jays later in their careers.

Former Yankees southpaw Phil Coke signed a MiLB deal with Toronto during the 2015 season and made two appearances. He would become a free agent in mid-June.

Veteran catcher Jose Molina spent three seasons with the Blue Jays after winning the 2009 World Series with New York (two of the three Molina brothers spent time with the Blue Jays). He joined the Tampa Bay Rays for the 2012 season.

After five seasons and a World Series win with the Yankees, right-handed pitcher Chien-Ming Wang made six starts for the Jays in 2013. He toiled in the minors and affiliated ball for a few years before making 38 appearances out of the Kansas City Royals bullpen.

Former Blue Jays who were part of the Yankees 2009 World Series winning squad

National League pitcher Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates (30) pitches against the American League in the first inning during the 2024 MLB All-Star game at Globe Life Field

Recent articles from Nick Prasad

Breaking News