Phillies: Players who looked weird wearing another team’s uniform
Which former Philadelphia Phillies’ players looked odd wearing another team’s uniform?
Since the berth of free agency in all sports, players have had the opportunity to leave the team they were drafted by and grew up with to experience different organizations and cities. We’ve seen this now with Tom Brady going to the Tamp Bay Buccaneers and it’s certainly happened a lot in the history of the Philadelphia Phillies.
We’re going to take a look back at some of the all-time great Philadelphia Phillies players whose time in red pinstripes came to an end, but their careers continued other uniforms.
As an honorable mention, we start with some of the 2008 Phillies who were homegrown stars in Philadelphia but continued their careers elsewhere.
Pat Burrell as a Ray/Giant
The first-ever number one pick in Phillies history was an immediate fan favorite and presence in the middle of the lineup. With 251 home runs, Pat Burrell is fourth on the Phillies all-time home run list. His Phillies career ended with a very important double in game five of the 2008 World Series and a parade down Broad Street, but he continued on to Tampa Bay and San Francisco to play three more seasons.
Burrell remains a part of the Giants organization and was inducted onto the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2015
Cole Hamels as a Ranger/Cub/Brave
The second-greatest left-handed pitcher in Phillies history is the only player on this list still playing. After 10 years, two no-hitters (one combined), and a World Series MVP, Cole Hamels was traded to the Texas Rangers in 2015 in a deal that included Jorge Alfaro and Nick Williams.
Hamels has continued his career in Chicago and is now a member of the Atlanta Braves.
Among all Phillies pitchers, Hamels is third in strikeouts with 1,844, just 27 behind Robin Roberts, and sixth in wins, just one behind Chris Short.
Carlos Ruiz as a Dodger/Mariner
Arguably the greatest catcher in Phillies history, Carlos Ruiz grew from being a little-known international signing to an All-Star backstop.
Ruiz has caught four no-hitters, the most in baseball history, and grew into a fan favorite with his clutch-hitting and defense behind the plate.
One of the last players from the 2008 team to play in Philadelphia, Ruiz was traded in 2016 to the Dodgers for Tommy Bergjans, A.J. Ellis, and Joey Curletta.