SSG Dodger Teammates Have Chance To Make History
SSG Los Angeles Dodgers teammates Jose Reyes and Robinson Cano have a chance to do what no two players have ever done in history of baseball. Each of them is within range of their 2,500 career hit and should they both accomplish it in the same season on the same team it will be a baseball first. While there have been plenty of teams through the years to have teammates with 2,500 career hits, from what I can calculate* those teammates have never reached the milestone in the same season. The closest duo was likely Garry Sheffield and Ivan Rodriguez with the Detroit Tigers. Sheffield got his 2500 in 2007 while Pudge reached the milestone on April 10, 2008. For any other very close calls you need to go back to the deadball era as Honus Wagner and Fred Clarke each had 2500 hits while with the Pirates but Wagner got his in 1911 while Clarke reached the milestone the previous season. The other is the 1902-03 Washington Senators when Ed Delahanty notched hit 2500 of his career in 1902 and teammate Jimmy Ryan got there the following season.
As for Reyes and Cano, there is a chance could happen this season for both. The 36 year old Reyes enters the season needing just 30 hits to reach 2500. Reyes played 107 games in the Dodgers outfield a year ago and batted .298 with 122 hits. The task looks like it might be tougher for the 37 year old Cano to accomplish. Cano was just 22 for 91 a year ago (.242), playing in just 26 games for the Dodgers. He presently sits at 2,400 career hits so getting another 100 this season – or perhaps anytime – might be too much to ask.
*I could find no actual data stating when players got their 2500th career hits but did find a page showing all of the teammates with at least 2500 career hits so that data was used to determine no two players accomplished the feat on the same team in the same year.