A total of 280 players to date have amassed at least 2,000 hits in the majors (and Matt Holliday, Jose Reyes, Adrian Gonzalez, and Victor Martinez are all likely to join that list during the 2017 season.) But of this large group, only 15 guys have at least 1,000 hits coming for 2 separate teams.
The 15 players with at least 1000 hits for two different MLB teams: pic.twitter.com/AnSCXZWE5O
— High Heat Stats ? (@HighHeatStats) February 8, 2017
To make this list, you need two things–to be a pretty damned good player and to switch teams at the right time (and stay with each team long enough). Each of these guys has an interesting story, such as Dave Winfield leaving the Padres for a then-huge free agent contract with the Yankees, or B.J. Surhoff, who was solid but relatively unknown with the Brewers before breaking out with the Orioles later in his career. Interestingly, it took a second stint with the Orioles at the end of his career for Surhoff to surpass 1,000 hits with Baltimore.
But the most interesting player on this list, for me, is Tris Speaker. He was cast off by the Red Sox in early 1916, a few days after his 28th birthday. He finished his Red Sox career with 55.4 WAR, 5th-most in team history among batters (and more than David Ortiz, Jim Rice, Manny Ramirez, and everyone else not named Williams, Yaz, Boggs, or Dewey Evans).
Speaker then joined the Indians and reeled off 74.2 WAR for THAT team, 2nd-most in Cleveland history among batters, just a shade behind Nap Lajoie at 80.0. So, this guy basically had inner-circle great careers for two different teams, even when taken separately.
Not bad, Tristam–not bad.