These big leaguers played for the most teams

Sticking with only one team can be a special thing, with players such as Cal Ripken Jr. (Baltimore), Tony Gwynn (San Diego), Chipper Jones (Atlanta) and Derek Jeter (New York) spending their entire careers forming a special bond with just a single fanbase.

Then there are the MLB veterans who have experienced the opposite. These well-traveled journeymen bounce from team to team, getting a taste of the action in cities across the league. On one hand, these players might never settle into a comfortable home, but on the other hand, some team always is interested in their services. And many of these baseball vagabonds have enjoyed a great deal of success -- even if it was split between many clubs.

Take Rich Hill. The left-hander has been in the Majors since 2005, and with his trade from the Pirates to the Padres ahead of the 2023 Trade Deadline, Hill has now appeared for 13 of the 30 MLB teams. The 43-year-old Hill doesn't quite have the record for playing with the most franchises, but the Padres make him just the third to check 13 off his list.

Here's a look at the more than 40 players who have played for at least 10 franchises.

Edwin Jackson, RHP, 2003-2019: 14
Over 17 years in the Majors, Jackson's resume featured appearances for the Dodgers, Devil Rays, Tigers, D-backs, White Sox, Cardinals, Nationals, Cubs, Braves, Marlins, Padres, Orioles, A's and Blue Jays. Jackson, who announced his retirement in September 2022, made his final big league appearance with the Tigers in 2019. He's the first Major Leaguer to play for 14 teams in his career.

Octavio Dotel, RHP, 1999-2013: 13
Dotel capped off his 15-year Major League career with the Tigers in 2013. The Mets signed Dotel as an amateur free agent in 1993, and he debuted for New York six years later on June 26. Knowing all about changing places, the Dominican-born hurler played for the Astros (five years), A's (two years), Tigers (two years), White Sox (two years) and the Royals, Mets, Rockies, Pirates, Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, Yankees and Blue Jays each for one year. Dotel's five-year reign as the all-time leader in games played for most teams finally came to an end with Jackson's start for Toronto.

Rich Hill, LHP, 2005-23, 13
Hill struggled to find consistent success early in his career with the Cubs, Orioles, Red Sox, Indians, Angels and Yankees. (There also were stints with the Cardinals and Nationals that don't count because Hill only pitched in the Minors for them.) But Hill reinvented himself as a 35-year-old with the 2015 Red Sox and since has enjoyed success with the A's, Dodgers, Twins, Rays, Mets, Red Sox and Pirates. Pittsburgh became his 12th team when he signed with them for the 2023 season, but at the Trade Deadline, he was on the move yet again, this time to San Diego, where he debuted on Aug. 6 against the Dodgers. In addition to being his 13th team overall, the Padres are the seventh team Hill has pitched for since turning 39.

Mike Morgan, RHP, 1978-2002, 12
Morgan was drafted by the A's in the first round of the 1978 Draft and skipped the Minor Leagues to make his big league debut less than a week later. The right-hander spent two seasons in Oakland before playing for 12 teams over the span of an impressive 22-year career that spanned four decades. Morgan saw time with the Cubs, Dodgers, Mariners, Cardinals, Reds, Twins, Rangers, Yankees, Orioles and Blue Jays before closing his career with the D-backs in 2002. Morgan capped his MLB career on a 4.23 ERA with 141 wins over 2,772 1/3 innings pitched.

Matt Stairs, OF/1B, 1992-2011, 12
An apt name for a player who climbed his way to 12 cities, Stairs is the first non-pitcher on the list of all-time players who have played for the most teams and his 23 pinch-hit homers are a Major League record. The outfielder, first baseman and pinch-hitter was signed by the Montreal Expos as an amateur free agent in 1989. He helped lead the Phillies to their second World Series title in 2008 after being traded from the Blue Jays in August of that year. Stairs played for the A's, Royals, Nationals, Phillies, Blue Jays, Pirates, Red Sox, Rangers, Padres, Cubs, Tigers and Brewers over the course of a 19-year career.

Ron Villone, LHP, 1995-2009, 12
Villone is another pitcher who traveled to 12 cities before wrapping a 4.73 ERA, 15-year MLB career. The southpaw was drafted by the Mariners in the first round of the 1992 Draft and debuted for them three years later on April 28. The New Jersey native went on to pitch for the Padres, Reds, Yankees, Astros, Brewers, Rockies, Pirates, Cardinals, Indians and Marlins before finishing his career in 2009 for the Nationals.

Fernando Rodney, RHP, 2002-19, 11
Rodney, his devastating changeup, and his quiver of arrows hung around big league bullpens for almost two decades, starting with the Tigers (seven seasons). He then bounced to the Angels, Rays, Mariners, Cubs, Padres, Marlins, D-backs, Twins, A's and Nationals, with whom he won his first championship ring in 2019. He signed with the Astros in '20 but was released before making it up to the Majors.

Paul Bako, C, 1998-2009, 11
Teams played for: Braves, Cubs, Astros, Royals, Phillies, Dodgers, Reds, Orioles, Marlins, Tigers and Brewers

Miguel Batista, RHP, 1992-2012, 11
Teams played for: D-backs, Nationals, Mariners, Mets, Blue Jays, Royals, Pirates, Braves, Cardinals, Cubs and Marlins

Henry Blanco, C, 1997-2013, 11
Teams played for: Cubs, D-backs, Braves, Brewers, Twins, Mets, Rockies, Dodgers, Padres, Mariners and Blue Jays

Bruce Chen, LHP, 1998-2015, 11
Teams played for: Royals, Braves, Orioles, Mets, Phillies, Red Sox, Rangers, Indians, Reds, Expos and Astros

Royce Clayton, SS, 1991-2007, 11
Teams played for: Giants, Cardinals, Rangers, White Sox, D-backs, Rockies, Red Sox, Reds, Nationals, Blue Jays and Brewers

Bartolo Colon, RHP, 1997-2018, 11
Teams played for: Indians, Angels, Mets, A's, White Sox, Twins, Braves, Red Sox, Rangers, Expos and Yankees

Joe Gerhardt, IF, 1873-1891, 11
Teams played for: Washington Blue Legs (NA), Baltimore Canaries (NA), New York Mutuals (NA), Louisville Grays, Reds, Detroit Wolverines, Louisville Eclipse (AA), New York Giants, New York Metropolitans (AA), Brooklyn Gladiators (AA) and St. Louis Browns (AA)

LaTroy Hawkins, RHP, 1995-2015, 11
Teams played for: Twins, Rockies, Cubs, Astros, Brewers, Mets, Giants, Angels, Yankees, Orioles and Blue Jays

Kenny Lofton, CF, 1991-2007, 11
Teams played for: Indians, Pirates, Giants, Phillies, Braves, Rangers, Dodgers, Cubs, Yankees, Astros and White Sox

Deacon McGuire, C/1B, 1884-1912, 11
Teams played for: Washington Senators (NL), New York Highlanders, Phillies, Brooklyn Superbas, Tigers, Red Sox, Detroit Wolverines, Cleveland Naps, Toledo Blue Stockings (AA), Rochester Broncos and Cleveland Blues (AA)

Terry Mulholland, LHP, 1986-2006, 11
Teams played for: Phillies, Giants, Cubs, Twins, Braves, Dodgers, Indians, D-backs, Pirates, Mariners and Yankees

Dennys Reyes, LHP, 1997-2011, 11
Teams played for: Reds, Twins, Cardinals, Dodgers, Royals, D-backs, Rockies, Pirates, Red Sox, Rangers and Padres

Julian Tavarez, RHP, 1993-2009, 11
Teams played for: Indians, Giants, Red Sox, Cardinals, Rockies, Pirates, Braves, Nationals, Cubs, Marlins and Brewers

Gus Weyhing, RHP, 1887-1901, 11
Teams played for: Phillies, Philadelphia Athletics (played for two different AA franchises under same name), Brooklyn Ward's Wonders (PL), Louisville Colonels, Washington Senators (NL), Cardinals, Brooklyn Superbas, Cleveland Blues, Reds and Pirates

Rick White, RHP, 1994-2007, 11
Teams played for: Devil Rays, Pirates, Mets, Astros, Rockies, Phillies, Cardinals, Reds, Indians, Mariners and White Sox

Todd Zeile, 3B/1B/C, 1989-2004, 11
Teams played for: Cardinals, Mets, Rangers, Dodgers, Rockies, Phillies, Expos, Cubs, Yankees, Marlins and Orioles

Russell Branyan, 1B/3B/OF, 1998-2011, 10
Teams played for: Indians, Reds, Brewers, Devil Rays, Padres, Phillies, Cardinals, Mariners, D-backs and Angels

Ken Brett, LHP, 1967-1981, 10
Teams played for: Red Sox, Brewers, Phillies, Pirates, Yankees, White Sox, Angels, Twins, Dodgers and Royals

Dan Brouthers, 1B, 1879-1896, 1904, 10
Teams played for: Buffalo Bisons, Detroit Wolverines, Troy Trojans, Brooklyn Grooms, Orioles (NL), Louisville Colonels, Boston Reds (PL/AA), Giants, Phillies and Boston Beaneaters

Marlon Byrd, OF, 2002-2016, 10
Teams played for: Phillies, Nationals, Rangers, Cubs, Red Sox, Mets, Pirates, Reds, Giants and Indians

Tyler Clippard, RHP, 2007-2022, 10
Team played for: Yankees, Nationals, A's, Mets, D-backs, White Sox, Astros, Blue Jays, Indians and Twins

Tommy Davis, 3B/LF, 1959-1976, 10
Teams played for: Dodgers, Mets, White Sox, Seattle Pilots, Astros, A's, Cubs, Orioles, Angels and Royals

Jack Doyle, 1B/C/OF, 1889-1905, 10
Teams played for: Columbus Solons (AA), Cleveland Spiders, Giants, Orioles (NL), Washington Senators (AL and NL), Cubs, Brooklyn Superbas, Phillies and Yankees

Alan Embree, LHP, 1992-2009, 10
Teams played for: Indians, Braves, D-backs, Giants, White Sox, Padres, Red Sox, Yankees, A's and Rockies

Dana Eveland, LHP, 2005-2016, 10
Teams played for: Brewers, D-backs, A's, Blue Jays, Pirates, Dodgers, Orioles, Mets, Braves and Rays

Davy Force, 2B/3B/SS, 1871-1886, 10
Teams played for: Washington Olympics, Troy Haymakers (NA), Baltimore Canaries (NA), Chicago White Stockings (NA), Philadelphia Athletics (NA, NL), New York Mutuals, St. Louis Brown Stockings, Buffalo Bisons and Washington Nationals

Jose Guillen, RF, 1997-2010, 10
Teams played for: Royals, Devil Rays, Pirates, Nationals, Reds, D-backs, Giants, A's, Angels, and Mariners

Roberto Hernandez, RHP, 1991-2007, 10
Teams played for: White Sox, Devil Rays, Royals, Mets, Pirates, Giants, Phillies, Braves, Dodgers and Indians

Paul Hines, CF/1B/2B, 1872-1891, 10
Teams played for: Washington Nationals (NA and NL), Washington Blue Legs, Chicago White Stockings (NA and NL), Providence Grays, Indianapolis Hoosiers, Pittsburgh Alleghenys, Boston Beaneaters and Washington Statesmen

Kevin Jarvis, RHP, 1994-2006, 10
Teams played for: Reds, Padres, Rockies, D-backs, Twins, Cardinals, Red Sox, A's, Mariners and Tigers

Cameron Maybin, OF, 2007-21, 10
Teams played for: Tigers, Marlins, Padres, Braves, Angels, Astros, Mariners, Yankees, Cubs and Mets

Dan Miceli, RHP, 1993-2006, 10
Teams played for: Pirates, Rockies, Padres, Astros, Marlins, Devil Rays, Rangers, Indians, Yankees and Tigers

Bob Miller, RHP, 1957-1974, 10
Teams played for: Dodgers, Cardinals, Mets, Twins, Pirates, Padres, Cubs, Indians, Tigers and White Sox

Rene Rivera, C, 2004-21, 10
Teams played for: Mariners, Twins, Padres, Rays, Mets, Cubs, Braves, Angels, Nationals and Indians

Orator Shafer, RF, 1874-1890, 10
Teams played for: Philadelphia Athletics (NA), Cleveland Blues, St. Louis Maroons, St. Louis Whites, Buffalo Bisons, Indianapolis Blues, New York Mutuals (NA), Chicago White Stockings, Hartford Dark Blues (NA) and Louisville Grays

Pop Smith, IF, 1880-1891, 10
Teams played for: Pittsburgh Alleghenys, Boston Beaneaters, Columbus Buckeyes (AA), Louisville Eclipse (AA), Philadelphia Athletics (AA), Reds, Buffalo Bisons, Washington Statesmen (AA), Cleveland Blues and Worcester Ruby Legs

Russ Springer, RHP, 1992-2010, 10
Teams played for: Astros, D-backs, Cardinals, Angels, Braves, Phillies, Rays, A's, Reds and Yankees

Anthony Swarzak, RHP, 2009-21, 10
Teams played for: Twins, Indians, Yankees, White Sox, Brewers, Mets, Mariners, Braves, D-backs and Royals

Brett Tomko, RHP, 1997-2011, 10
Teams played for: Padres, Reds, Giants, Dodgers, Mariners, Royals, Cardinals, A's, Rangers and Yankees

Jamey Wright, RHP, 1996-2014, 10
Teams played for: Rockies, Brewers, Royals, Dodgers, Rangers, Mariners, Rays, Giants, Cardinals and Indians