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On This Day in Baseball History: January 4
Sources Lahman People + MLB StatsAPI0 debuts115 transactions
Every major-league debut, final game, transaction, birth and death recorded for January 4, newest first. Player names link to career pages where one exists, and each season links onward to that year’s awards and postseason archives.
Debuts0
Final games0
Transactions115
Born55
Died33
| Year | Player | That season |
|---|---|---|
| No major-league debuts are recorded for this date. | ||
| Year | Player | That season |
|---|---|---|
| No final games are recorded for this date. | ||
| Year | Move | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kansas City Royals signed free agent SS Michael Braswell III to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Toronto Blue Jays signed free agent 3B Kazuma Okamoto. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2025 | Chicago Cubs signed free agent C Caleb Knight to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2025 | Cincinnati Reds signed free agent RHP Bryan Shaw to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2024 | Baltimore Orioles signed free agent 3B Dominic Freeberger to a minor league contract. 2024 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2024 | Detroit Tigers signed free agent LHP Andrew Vasquez to a minor league contract. 2024 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2024 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent SS Brendon Davis to a minor league contract. 2024 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2024 | Miami Marlins signed free agent RHP Angel Macuare to a minor league contract. 2024 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2023 | Cleveland Guardians signed free agent C Cam Gallagher to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2023 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2023 | Cleveland Guardians signed free agent RHP Michael Kelly to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2023 transaction archive | - | |
| 2023 | Cleveland Guardians signed free agent CF Roman Quinn to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2023 transaction archive | - | |
| 2023 | Chicago Cubs traded RHP Erich Uelmen to Philadelphia Phillies for cash. 2023 transaction archive |  | |
| 2023 | Washington Nationals signed free agent 1B Dominic Smith. 2023 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2023 | Pittsburgh Pirates traded RHP Bryse Wilson to Milwaukee Brewers for cash. 2023 transaction archive |  |  |
| 2023 | Miami Marlins signed free agent SS Jean Segura. 2023 transaction archive | - | |
| 2023 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent RHP Craig Kimbrel. 2023 transaction archive | - | |
| 2023 | Chicago Cubs signed free agent LHP Ryan Borucki to a minor league contract. 2023 transaction archive | - | |
| 2023 | Atlanta Braves signed free agent RHP Ty Tice to a minor league contract. 2023 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2023 | Boston Red Sox signed free agent RHP Sterling Sharp to a minor league contract. 2023 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2023 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent RHP Jon Duplantier to a minor league contract. 2023 transaction archive | - | |
| 2023 | Miami Marlins signed free agent RHP Enrique Burgos to a minor league contract. 2023 transaction archive | - | |
| 2022 | Boston Red Sox signed free agent CF Johan Mieses to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - | |
| 2022 | Miami Marlins signed free agent RHP Huascar Brazoban to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - | |
| 2022 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent 1B Aldrem Corredor to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - | |
| 2022 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent SS Kevin Vicuna to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - | |
| 2022 | San Diego Padres signed free agent RHP Angel Felipe to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2022 | San Diego Padres signed free agent 3B Aderlin Rodriguez to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - | |
| 2022 | San Diego Padres signed free agent RHP Luis Madrazo to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - | |
| 2022 | Minnesota Twins signed free agent RHP Orlando Rodriguez to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2022 | Minnesota Twins signed free agent RHP Mario Sanchez to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - | |
| 2022 | Minnesota Twins signed free agent CF Kennie Taylor to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent C Christian Bethancourt to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent RHP Neftali Feliz to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent 2B Ronald Torreyes to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent RHP Michael Ynoa to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | San Francisco Giants signed free agent C Curt Casali. 2021 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2021 | San Francisco Giants released LHP Andrew Suarez. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Chicago Cubs released RHP Colin Rea. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Boston Red Sox signed free agent RHP Zack Kelly to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Boston Red Sox signed free agent SS Jeremy Rivera to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Kansas City Royals signed free agent 2B Erick Mejia to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent RHP Luis Perdomo to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | New York Yankees signed free agent LHP Nestor Cortes to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2021 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2021 | Washington Nationals signed free agent LHP Luis Avilan to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | San Francisco Giants signed free agent C Curt Casali. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent SS Ronald Torreyes. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent P Neftali Feliz. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | New York Yankees signed free agent P Nestor Cortes. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | San Francisco Giants signed free agent C Curt Casali. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | San Francisco Giants signed free agent C Curt Casali. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2020 | Detroit Tigers signed free agent RHP Alex Wilson to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2020 transaction archive | - | |
| 2020 | Atlanta Braves signed free agent LHP Chris Nunn to a minor league contract. 2020 transaction archive | - | |
| 2020 | Boston Red Sox signed free agent RHP Trevor Hildenberger to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2020 transaction archive | - | |
| 2020 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent RHP Edgar Zuniga to a minor league contract. 2020 transaction archive | - | |
| 2020 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent LHP Jared Loyo to a minor league contract. 2020 transaction archive | - | |
| 2020 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent RHP Pedro Reyes to a minor league contract. 2020 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | Texas Rangers signed free agent RHP Adrian Sampson to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2019 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2019 | Texas Rangers signed free agent RHP Rafael Montero to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | New York Yankees signed free agent SS Troy Tulowitzki. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | Toronto Blue Jays traded RHP Oliver Drake to Tampa Bay Rays for cash. 2019 transaction archive | |  |
| 2019 | Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent Cory Spangenberg. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | Kansas City Royals signed free agent Kyle Zimmer. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | Kansas City Royals signed free agent SS Densi Meli to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | Los Angeles Angels signed free agent RHP Alejandro Duran to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2019 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent OF Cameron Perkins to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | Arizona Diamondbacks signed free agent LHP Matt Marksberry to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2019 | Chicago White Sox signed free agent LHP Jacob Lindgren to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2018 | Cleveland Indians signed free agent LHP Robert Zarate to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2018 transaction archive | - | |
| 2018 | Texas Rangers signed free agent RHP Steve Delabar to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2018 transaction archive | - | |
| 2018 | Texas Rangers signed free agent OF Destin Hood to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2018 transaction archive | - | |
| 2018 | Chicago White Sox Traded 2B Jake Peter to Los Angeles Dodgers; Los Angeles Dodgers Traded cash, RHP Joakim Soria and LHP Luis Avilan to Chicago White Sox; Los Angeles Dodgers Traded SS Erick Mejia and RHP Trevor Oaks to Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Royals Traded RHP Joakim Soria and LHP Scott Alexander to Los Angeles Dodgers. 2018 transaction archive | | |
| 2018 | Miami Marlins signed free agent LHP Mike Kickham to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2018 transaction archive | - | |
| 2018 | Toronto Blue Jays signed free agent RHP Lazaro Estrada to a minor league contract. 2018 transaction archive | - | |
| 2017 | Detroit Tigers signed free agent 3B Gabriel Quintana to a minor league contract. 2017 transaction archive | - | |
| 2017 | Boston Red Sox signed free agent RHP Shawn Haviland to a minor league contract. 2017 transaction archive | - | |
| 2017 | Texas Rangers signed free agent 3B Luis Mendez to a minor league contract. 2017 transaction archive | - | |
| 2017 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent RHP Fabio Castillo to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2017 transaction archive | - | |
| 2016 | Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent LHP Kelvin Marte to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2016 transaction archive | - | |
| 2016 | Detroit Tigers signed free agent C Raffy Lopez to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2016 transaction archive | - | |
| 2016 | Arizona Diamondbacks signed free agent RHP Omar Herman to a minor league contract. 2016 transaction archive | - | |
| 2015 | Kansas City Royals signed free agent RHP Ryan Madson to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2015 transaction archive | - | |
| 2015 | Chicago White Sox signed free agent 3B Andy LaRoche to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2015 transaction archive | - | |
| 2015 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent LHP Ramon Benjamin to a minor league contract. 2015 transaction archive | - | |
| 2015 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent 3B Brian Burgamy to a minor league contract. 2015 transaction archive | - | |
| 2015 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent SS Luis Mateo to a minor league contract. 2015 transaction archive | - | |
| 2015 | Los Angeles Angels signed free agent RHP Steven Hensley to a minor league contract. 2015 transaction archive | - | |
| 2015 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent RHP Pat Christensen to a minor league contract. 2015 transaction archive | - | |
| 2014 | Kansas City Royals signed free agent 3B Yorly Martinez to a minor league contract. 2014 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Cleveland Indians signed free agent RHP Brett Myers. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Boston Red Sox signed free agent 1B Mark Hamilton to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Pittsburgh Pirates released RHP Rick van den Hurk. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Cincinnati Reds signed free agent LHP Jakub Izold to a minor league contract. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Cincinnati Reds signed free agent 3B Ray Chang to a minor league contract. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Houston Astros signed free agent C Jason Jaramillo to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2013 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2013 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent RHP Daniel Carela to a minor league contract. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | New York Mets signed free agent SS Omar Quintanilla to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2013 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2013 | Toronto Blue Jays signed free agent Mike Benacka. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Toronto Blue Jays signed free agent RHP Scott Copeland to a minor league contract. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Washington Nationals signed free agent LHP Sean West to a minor league contract. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Washington Nationals signed free agent C Joe Witkowski to a minor league contract. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent RHP Logan Kensing to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent LHP Jo-Jo Reyes to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Cincinnati Reds signed free agent Andrew Brackman. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Tampa Bay Rays signed free agent RHP Fernando Rodney. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Baltimore Orioles signed free agent RHP Willie Eyre to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Seattle Mariners signed free agent DH Luis Jimenez to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2012 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2012 | Cincinnati Reds signed free agent RHP Jean Duque to a minor league contract. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Arizona Diamondbacks signed free agent RHP Alberto Paulino to a minor league contract. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Tampa Bay Rays signed free agent RHP Matt Ramsey to a minor league contract. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2011 | Cincinnati Reds signed free agent LF Jeremy Hermida to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2011 transaction archive | - | |
| 2011 | Toronto Blue Jays signed free agent RHP Octavio Dotel. 2011 transaction archive | - | |
| 2011 | Toronto Blue Jays signed free agent RHP Chad Cordero to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2011 transaction archive | - | |
| 2011 | Pittsburgh Pirates traded RHP Joe Martinez to Cleveland Indians. 2011 transaction archive | | |
| 2011 | Seattle Mariners signed free agent C Josh Bard to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. 2011 transaction archive | - | |
| 2011 | San Diego Padres released RHP Radhames Liz. 2011 transaction archive | - | |
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2001 | DJ Herz |
| 2000 | Valente Bellozo |
| 1997 | Clayton Andrews |
| 1997 | Davis Martin |
| 1996 | Blake Cederlind |
| 1994 | Reynaldo Lopez |
| 1992 | Kris Bryant |
| 1992 | Michael Lorenzen |
| 1991 | Daniel Stumpf |
| 1990 | Raisel Iglesias |
| 1989 | Kevin Pillar |
| 1985 | Scott Sizemore |
| 1984 | John Raynor |
| 1982 | Jason Bourgeois |
| 1981 | Jailen Peguero |
| 1978 | Chris Gissell |
| 1978 | Willie Martinez |
| 1977 | Brian O'Connor |
| 1977 | Walter Silva |
| 1976 | Ted Lilly |
| 1971 | Chris Michalak |
| 1967 | Clint Zavaras |
| 1967 | Ted Wood |
| 1965 | Kevin Wickander |
| 1963 | Daryl Boston |
| 1962 | Jay Tibbs |
| 1960 | Paul Gibson |
| 1949 | Dennis Saunders |
| 1947 | Ken Reynolds |
| 1944 | Charlie Manuel |
| 1944 | Tito Fuentes |
| 1943 | Larry Yellen |
| 1940 | Bart Shirley |
| 1933 | Ramon Monzant |
| 1930 | Don McMahon |
| 1929 | Corky Valentine |
| 1925 | Tom Gorman |
| 1920 | Walter Ockey |
| 1914 | Herman Franks |
| 1912 | Joe Mack |
| 1911 | Izzy Leon |
| 1908 | George Selkirk |
| 1906 | Blondy Ryan |
| 1903 | Alex Metzler |
| 1902 | Ted Odenwald |
| 1890 | Ossie Vitt |
| 1888 | Rex DeVogt |
| 1887 | Klondike Smith |
| 1884 | Al Bridwell |
| 1883 | Eddie Zimmerman |
| 1877 | Bob Spade |
| 1869 | Tommy Corcoran |
| 1861 | Rex Smith |
| 1858 | Henry Oxley |
| 1856 | Al Dwight |
| Year | Player | Age |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Carl Linhart | 92 |
| 2022 | Jim Corsi | 60 |
| 2022 | Tommy Matchick | 78 |
| 2021 | Tom Acker | 90 |
| 2015 | Stu Miller | 87 |
| 2014 | Gabe Gabler | 83 |
| 2008 | Bill Ramsey | 87 |
| 2005 | Jack Sanford | 87 |
| 2002 | Adrian Zabala | 85 |
| 2000 | John Milner | 50 |
| 1995 | Harry Gumbert | 85 |
| 1995 | Manuel Onis | 86 |
| 1994 | Billy Sullivan | 83 |
| 1991 | Eric Rodin | 60 |
| 1990 | Bonnie Hollingsworth | 94 |
| 1987 | Tony Rensa | 85 |
| 1986 | Dave Morey | 96 |
| 1980 | Foster Edwards | 76 |
| 1979 | Bobby Murray | 80 |
| 1978 | Joe Dawson | 80 |
| 1970 | Brad Springer | 65 |
| 1967 | Estel Crabtree | 63 |
| 1963 | Sam Covington | 68 |
| 1949 | Joe Evers | 57 |
| 1948 | Victor Schlitzer | 63 |
| 1943 | Jack Rafter | 67 |
| 1942 | Harry Juul | 48 |
| 1938 | Frank Sexton | 65 |
| 1933 | Hal Deviney | 39 |
| 1931 | Roger Connor | 73 |
| 1924 | John Peters | 73 |
| 1896 | Tom Foley | - |
| 1893 | Jim Halpin | 29 |
About these records
Every dated event on this page is read directly from the source tables: debuts, final games, birth dates and death dates from the SABR / Sean Lahman baseball database (2025 edition, People table), used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, and transactions from the official MLB StatsAPI transactions archive captured through 2026-10-22. Nothing is inferred: a record appears here only when the source carries a complete month and day for January 4.
Honesty notes: the staged People table records complete dates or none, and no partial dates had to be excluded. Missing dates are not unknowns everywhere: an empty death date means the player is living (10,918 rows), an empty final-game date means no end date is recorded (1,932 rows), and 398 rows have no birth date. Early records reach back to the 1870s; 19th-century dates reflect the best retrospective research in the source and are shown exactly as recorded. Award winners and postseason series are staged by season with no calendar day in the source, so they are linked from each season above instead of being dated here. The transaction window covers 2011 to 2026 only. Player names link to career pages for every player who has one.
See the sources page for every dataset behind Legends Deck.