Kansas City Royals and Tampa Bay Rays players: who played for both
Who played for both the Royals and Rays?
75 players played for both the Kansas City Royals and the Tampa Bay Rays between 1998 and 2025, including Ben Zobrist, David DeJesus, Johnny Damon and Carlos Peña. 37 of them played for the Royals first and 36 for the Rays first; 2 played for both in the same season.
Did you know?
- Felix Martinez is the earliest on this list to complete the pair: Royals first, then the Rays from 2000.
- Trevor Richards is the most recent: Rays first, then the Royals from 2025.
- Ben Zobrist played the most games across the two: 59 for the Royals and 1,064 for the Rays.
- 8 of them had two or more separate spells with one of the teams, such as Carlos Peña.
- Most common positions on this list: P (41), OF (14), 2B (7), C (5).
How many can you name?
Name players who played for both the Royals and the Rays. The surname is enough. 0 / 75
All 75 players, most games for the two first
| Player | Pos | Royals | Rays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Zobrist | 2B | 2015 (59 g) | 2006–2014 (1064 g) |
| David DeJesus | OF | 2003–2010 (876 g) | 2013–2015 (200 g) |
| Johnny Damon | OF | 1995–2000 (803 g) | 2011 (150 g) |
| Carlos Peña | 1B | 2013 (4 g) | 2007–2010, 2012 (726 g) |
| Jose Guillen | OF | 2008–2010 (340 g) | 1999–2001 (193 g) |
| Rey Sanchez | SS | 1999–2001 (377 g) | 2004 (91 g) |
| Joel Peralta | P | 2006–2008 (166 g) | 2011–2014 (297 g) |
| Jonny Gomes | OF | 2015 (12 g) | 2003–2008 (415 g) |
| Joey Gathright | OF | 2006–2008 (258 g) | 2004–2006 (150 g) |
| Wade Davis | P | 2013–2016, 2021 (256 g) | 2009–2012 (119 g) |
| Terry Shumpert | 2B | 1990–1994 (284 g) | 2003 (59 g) |
| Roberto Hernandez | P | 2001–2002 (116 g) | 1998–2000 (207 g) |
| Mike Difelice | C | 2003 (62 g) | 1998–2001, 2008 (250 g) |
| Brett Phillips | OF | 2018–2020 (84 g) | 2020–2022 (211 g) |
| James Shields | P | 2013–2014 (68 g) | 2006–2012 (219 g) |
| Elliot Johnson | SS | 2013 (79 g) | 2008, 2011–2012 (200 g) |
| Matt Duffy | 3B | 2023 (79 g) | 2016, 2018–2019 (199 g) |
| J. P. Howell | P | 2005 (15 g) | 2006–2009, 2011–2012 (252 g) |
| Tony Graffanino | 2B | 2004–2006 (203 g) | 1999–2000 (52 g) |
| Felix Martinez | SS | 1997–1999 (56 g) | 2000–2001 (183 g) |
| Dave McCarty | 1B | 2000–2002 (214 g) | 2002 (12 g) |
| Brad Boxberger | P | 2019 (29 g) | 2014–2017 (189 g) |
| Kyle Farnsworth | P | 2009–2010 (78 g) | 2011–2013 (136 g) |
| Brent Abernathy | 2B | 2003 (10 g) | 2001–2003 (198 g) |
| Tommy Pham | OF | 2024 (23 g) | 2018–2019 (184 g) |
| Jason Adam | P | 2018 (31 g) | 2022–2024 (170 g) |
| Hunter Renfroe | OF | 2024–2025 (155 g) | 2020 (42 g) |
| Shawn Camp | P | 2004–2005 (71 g) | 2006–2007 (125 g) |
| Rusty Meacham | P | 1992–1995 (164 g) | 2001 (24 g) |
| Albie Lopez | P | 2003 (15 g) | 1998–2001 (170 g) |
| Lucas Duda | 1B | 2018–2019 (126 g) | 2017 (52 g) |
| Lance Carter | P | 1999 (6 g) | 2002–2005 (165 g) |
| Gregg Zaun | C | 2000–2001 (122 g) | 2009 (34 g) |
| Jason Hammel | P | 2017–2018 (71 g) | 2006–2008 (73 g) |
| Ryan Yarbrough | P | 2023 (14 g) | 2018–2022 (127 g) |
| Juan Carlos Oviedo | P | 2005–2008 (106 g) | 2014 (32 g) |
| Jeff Keppinger | 2B | 2006 (22 g) | 2012 (115 g) |
| Jamey Wright | P | 2003, 2009 (69 g) | 2013 (66 g) |
| Jake Odorizzi | P | 2012 (2 g) | 2013–2017 (127 g) |
| Luis Ordaz | SS | 2000–2002 (126 g) | 2006 (1 g) |
| Juan Cruz | P | 2009–2010 (51 g) | 2011 (56 g) |
| Bryan Rekar | P | 2002 (2 g) | 1998–2001 (98 g) |
| Jake Diekman | P | 2019 (48 g) | 2023 (50 g) |
| Michael Wacha | P | 2024–2025 (60 g) | 2021 (30 g) |
| Jason Smith | 2B | 2007–2008 (62 g) | 2002–2003 (27 g) |
| Joe Nelson | P | 2006 (43 g) | 2009 (42 g) |
| Nick Anderson | P | 2024 (37 g) | 2019–2021 (48 g) |
| Luke Maile | C | 2025 (25 g) | 2015–2016 (57 g) |
| Enny Romero | P | 2018 (4 g) | 2013, 2015–2016 (76 g) |
| Brian Meadows | P | 2000–2001 (21 g) | 2006 (53 g) |
| Jay Witasick | P | 1999–2000 (54 g) | 2007 (20 g) |
| Richard Lovelady | P | 2019–2021 (46 g) | 2024 (28 g) |
| Brian Shouse | P | 2002 (23 g) | 2009 (45 g) |
| Doug Waechter | P | 2009 (5 g) | 2003–2006 (60 g) |
| Scott Dohmann | P | 2006 (21 g) | 2007–2008 (43 g) |
| Tyler Zuber | P | 2020–2021 (54 g) | 2024 (2 g) |
| Al Levine | P | 2003 (18 g) | 2003 (36 g) |
| Everett Teaford | P | 2011–2013 (45 g) | 2015 (4 g) |
| Matt Diaz | OF | 2005 (34 g) | 2003–2004 (14 g) |
| Daniel Nava | OF | 2016 (9 g) | 2015 (31 g) |
| Jason Bourgeois | OF | 2012 (30 g) | 2013 (9 g) |
| Nate Karns | P | 2017 (9 g) | 2014–2015 (29 g) |
| Rich Thompson | OF | 2004 (6 g) | 2012 (23 g) |
| Jason Standridge | P | 2007 (4 g) | 2001–2004 (21 g) |
| Jose Bautista | OF | 2004 (13 g) | 2004 (12 g) |
| Trevor Richards | P | 2025 (3 g) | 2019–2021 (22 g) |
| Erik Kratz | C | 2014–2015 (17 g) | 2019 (6 g) |
| Hideo Nomo | P | 2008 (3 g) | 2005 (19 g) |
| Rich Hill | P | 2025 (2 g) | 2021 (19 g) |
| Kerry Robinson | OF | 2006 (18 g) | 1998 (2 g) |
| Paul Abbott | P | 2003 (10 g) | 2004 (10 g) |
| Adam Moore | C | 2012–2013 (9 g) | 2018 (8 g) |
| Fernando Cortez | 2B | 2007 (8 g) | 2005 (8 g) |
| Justin Marks | P | 2014 (1 g) | 2016–2017 (5 g) |
| Chris Ellis | P | 2019 (1 g) | 2021 (1 g) |
From the SABR Lahman Baseball Database (CC BY-SA 3.0), 1876–2025. A season counts when the player played at least one regular-season game for the franchise.Rays seasons include the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998–2007).
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Questions
How many players have played for both the Kansas City Royals and the Tampa Bay Rays?
75 in the Lahman Baseball Database from 1998 to 2025, including Ben Zobrist, David DeJesus, Johnny Damon and Carlos Peña. A player counts when he played at least one regular-season game for each franchise.
Who was the first player on this list to play for both?
Felix Martinez: Kansas City Royals first, then the Tampa Bay Rays from 2000.
Who has played for both recently?
Tommy Pham, Jason Adam, Hunter Renfroe, Michael Wacha, Nick Anderson and Luke Maile and 4 more, with a season for one of the two in 2024 or 2025.
Does a player count if the team has moved or changed its name?
Yes. Seasons count for today's franchise, the way the Lahman database links every team-season to a franchise. Rays seasons include the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998–2007).
Careers from the SABR Lahman Baseball Database (CC BY-SA 3.0). Team logos are trademarks of their respective teams (logos via TheSportsDB). Independent and not affiliated with MLB or any team. Credits