An aging Orlando Cepeda, 35 and coming off a bad year, signed with the Red Sox to become the team’s primary designated hitter on this day in béisbol, January 18, 1973. The new American League-only DH rule allowed a batter to hit for the pitcher in a move meant to add more offense to games. Cepeda was primed to be history’s first DH during the 1973 home opener at Fenway Park against the Yankees. But the honor went to Bombers designated hitter Ron Blomberg instead. Batting sixth that day, Blomberg came up in the top of the first inning with

The Tigers’ quest to win the World Series after losing the 2011 ALCS was dealt a serious setback when DH Victor Martinez blew out his knee on this day in béisbol, January 17, 2012. Martinez, who tore his ACL, was out for the entire year after tearing his ACL during an off-season training session. He was one of Detroit’s best hitters in 2011, batting .330 and knocking in 103 runs on just 12 homers. The Tigers won only 88 games in 2012 without Martinez in the lineup but won the AL pennant, only to be swept by the Giants in

Carlos Beltran lost his job as Mets manager before he even put on the uniform on this day in béisbol, January 16, 2020. The Hall of Fame candidate was fired by New York after he was the only player named in the MLB investigation into sign stealing by the 2017 Houston Astros. Beltran was technically the third manager to get (garbage) canned. The probe also cost Astros manager A.J. Hinch his job, as well as Red Sox skipper Alex Cora, who was a Houston coach during the scandal that involved Astros personnel using a centerfield camera to steal pitching signs

Juan Marichal, whose lifetime 243 wins was the most among Latino pitchers at the time, was inducted into the Hall of Fame on this day in béisbol, January 12, 1983. Known for his high leg kick and blazing fastball, the San Francisco Giants righty was the first Dominican Republic-born player elected to the Hall. He broke in with the Giants in 1960 at age 22 and quickly became the staff ace. He averaged 18 wins a year over his first 12 seasons and was a 20-game winner six times. Nicknamed “the Dominican Dandy,” Marichal went 243-142 with a 2.89 ERA,

It took Cincinnati Reds RBI machine Tony Perez nine tries to make the Hall of Fame, but the slugging first baseman finally made it on this day in béisbol, January 11, 2000. Perez joined Big Red Machine teammates Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan in Cooperstown, who were both elected in their first year of eligibility. The Camaguey, Cuba native was a dangerous middle-of-the-order force who hit 379 homers and 1,652 RBI over a 23-year career mostly spent in Cincinnati, where he won World Series in 1975 and 1976. Also on this day: In 2010, flame-throwing pitcher Aroldis Chapman of Cuba

Giants shortstop Edgar Renteria went from World Series hero to disgruntled backup and signed with the Reds on this day in béisbol, January 10, 2011 after feeling “a total disrespect” from the San Fran front office. A two-time Gold Glove winner with pop and speed, the Baranquilla, Colombia native was the Giants’ backup shortstop in 2010 when San Francisco beat the Texas Rangers in the World Series. The veteran infielder only hit 3 homers with 22 RBI in 72 games, but had a torrid postseason as the starting shortstop. He was named the fall classic’s MVP after hitting .412 with

After two seasons away from Texas, outfielder Juan Gonzalez signs a two-year, $24 million contract to return to the Rangers on this day in béisbol, January 8, 2002. Gonzalez, 33, had spent the first 11 seasons of his 17-year career with Texas, where he slammed 39 or more homers six times from 1991 to 1999. He was a two-time MVP and won five Silver Slugger awards (plus another in Cleveland). He was the biggest bopper on powerhouse Rangers teams of the ‘90s that included Rafael Palmiero, Ivan Rodriguez, Jose Canseco, and Will Clark, and set the franchise record for homers,

The New York Mets traded for one of the best shortstops in the game on this day in béisbol, January 7, 2021, acquiring Francisco Lindor in a six-player deal with Cleveland. Lindor, just 27 and due to hit free agency at the end of the 2021 season, instantly solidified a mostly home-grown core of young players that included slugging first baseman Pete Alonso, outfielders Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil and two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom, and gave new deep-pockets owner Steve Cohen a franchise, five-tool player to build around. A speedy, switch-hitting Gold Glover with 30-homer power, Lindor inked