Aaron Judge has long starred in New York. Shohei Ohtani has done the same in Los Angeles. Here’s a look at MLB players who have played in the most major markets.
After entering the 2025 season with MLB’s largest payroll and ending it on the golf course instead of in the playoffs, the New York Mets have retooled their roster significantly for 2026.
The signing of free-agent reliever Devin Williams was one of the early offseason transactions. One year earlier, the move would have seemed perfect – and it still might be that. But the Mets are banking on – literally after doling out a three-year, $51 million contract – getting the Devin Williams who thrived in Milwaukee for most of the decade and not the pitcher who last season struggled across town with the New York Yankees, even losing his closer’s role.
The size of the market – and the microscope that accompanies it – sometimes factors into a player’s experience. In New York, the likes of Derek Jeter and David Wright thrived in the spotlight and never left it during their careers; others such as Ed Whitson, Vince Coleman and Carl Pavano famously struggled amid the negativity and were happy to get out.
Like the Big Apple, other major cities shine a similar spotlight. According to Nielsen, the five largest U.S. metropolitan market regions are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth and Philadelphia. Add in Boston’s extensive media coverage and passionate fan base, and, well, those six markets are not Kansas (City) anymore.
Ironically, in an offseason when the Mets have added the likes of Williams, Bo Bichette, Freddy Peralta, Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr. and Marcus Semien, two under-the-radar reliever signings are an ideal match for the extra spotlight of New York. Luis Garcia and Craig Kimbrel are accustomed to pitching in the largest markets, having already been a part of four of the six listed above – with New York potentially getting them to the all-time high of five.
No, nobody’s ever played in all six markets, but 11 MLB players have been in five of them: Texas Rangers reliever Chris Martin among current players, and 10 retired players.
Here’s a breakdown of past and present.
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U.S. Markets and Teams Included
Today, the six markets have nine teams (New York, Los Angeles and Chicago two each), but in MLB history, their cities are being measured by:
New York: Yankees, Mets, Giants pre-1958, Dodgers pre-1958
Los Angeles: Dodgers since 1958, Angels
Chicago: White Sox since 1900, Cubs
Dallas-Ft. Worth: Rangers since 1972
Philadelphia: Phillies, Athletics pre-1955
Boston: Red Sox, Braves pre-1953
Active MLB Player to Play in 5 of Largest Markets
Chris Martin, Pitcher (Dallas, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York)
Career (2014-15, 2018-Present): 18-24, 3.33 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 418 games, 389.0 innings, 16 saves, 400 Ks
In Larger Markets: 15-19, 3.15 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 317 games, 294.1 innings, 14 saves, 311 Ks
In Other Markets: 3-5, 2.00 ERA, 1.07 Ratio, 101 games, 94.2 innings, 2 saves, 89 Ks
Notable: Martin spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball League before making a strong return to MLB with the majority of his career pitching in larger markets.
Active MLB Players to Play in 4 of Largest Markets
Aroldis Chapman, Pitcher (New York, Boston, Dallas, Chicago)
Career (2010-Present): 60-48, 2.52 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 863 games, 821.1 innings, 367 saves, 1,331 Ks
In Larger Markets: 32-21, 2.60 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 440 games, 411.1 innings, 205 saves, 634 Ks
In Other Markets: 28-27, 2.44 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 423 games, 410.0 innings, 162 saves, 697 Ks
Notable: An eight-time All-Star and one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in baseball history, Chapman was a trade deadline addition to the Cubs’ 2016 and Rangers’ 2023 World Series champions. He enters the 2025 season just 10 saves shy of reaching the top 10 all time.
Nathan Eovaldi, Pitcher (Boston, Dallas, New York, Los Angeles)
Career (2011-16; 2018-Present): 102-84, 3.89 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 316 games, 1,702.1 innings, 5 CG, 1,487 Ks
In Larger Markets: 86-53, 3.84 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 243 games, 1,276.1 innings, 5 CG, 1,170 Ks
In Other Markets: 16-31, 4.12 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 73 games, 426.0 innings, 0 CG, 317 Ks
Notable: Added pressure from the big stage? No problem. Eovaldi has a 9-3 record in the postseason. The two-time All-Star has been a key part of World Series champions in both a small market (2018 Tampa Bay Rays) and a larger market (2023 Rangers, going 5-0 in six starts).
Luis Garcia, Pitcher (Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Boston, Dallas)
Career (2013-Present): 28-30, 4.07 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 603 games, 583.1 innings, 119 holds, 547 Ks
In Larger Markets: 21-20, 4.32 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 434 games, 419.1 innings, 75 holds, 385 Ks
In Other Markets: 7-10, 3.46 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 169 games, 164.0 innings, 44 holds, 162 Ks
Notable: The Mets would give the well-traveled Garcia his fifth larger market and a ninth different organization on the mound. The reliever’s career includes three stints with the Angels, and his three-plus seasons with St. Louis, San Diego and Washington were particularly strong.
Craig Kimbrel, Pitcher (Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles)
Career (2010-Present): 56-48, 2.58 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 851 games, 821.2 innings, 440 saves, 1,282 Ks
In Larger Markets: 30-30, 3.06 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 425 games, 409.0 innings, 192 saves, 629 Ks
In Other Markets: 26-18, 2.12 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 426 games, 412.2 innings, 248 saves, 553 Ks
Notable: Fifth in all-time saves, the nine-time All-Star’s best run came with four straight NL saves titles (2011-14) with Atlanta. Signed to a minor league deal this offseason, the Mets offer Kimbrel the chance to pitch for an 11th different franchise and in a fifth of the larger markets.
*-Active MLB pitcher
Yohan Ramirez, Pitcher (Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Boston)
Career (2020-Present): 9-12, 4.71 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 164 games, 202.1 innings, 7 saves, 218 Ks
In Larger Markets: 0-5, 6.49 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 38 games, 43.0 innings, 1 save, 43 Ks
In Other Markets: 9-7, 4.24 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 126 games, 159.1 innings, 6 saves, 175 Ks
Notable: Ramirez’s time on larger markets rosters is not extensive, with much of it for the 2024 Dodgers (27 games, 29.1 innings) during a whirlwind season when the right-handed reliever also had two stints with the Mets and one each with Boston and the Baltimore Orioles.
Retired MLB Players to Play in 5 of Largest Markets
Ken Brett, Pitcher (Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York)
Career (1967-81): 83-85, 3.93 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 349 games, 1,526.1 innings, 11 saves, 807 Ks
In Larger Markets: 53-58, 4.10 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 234 games, 1,016.0 innings, 8 saves, 576 Ks
In Other Markets: 30-27, 3.58 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 115 games, 510.1 innings, 3 saves, 231 Ks
Notable: While Brett’s younger brother George spent his entire Hall of Fame career only with Kansas City, Ken was a part of 10 different teams, with the largest stint in Boston (1967, 1969-71). He was an NL All-Star for Pittsburgh in 1974.
Lew Burdette, Pitcher (Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York)
Career (1950-67): 203-144, 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 626 games, 3,067.1 innings, 32 saves, 1,074 Ks
In Larger Markets: 26-27, 4.45 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 177 games, 462.2 innings, 13 saves, 151 Ks
In Other Markets: 177-117, 3.51 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 449 games, 2,604.2 innings, 19 saves, 923 Ks
Notable: Early in Burdette’s career, his Boston Braves moved to the smaller market in Milwaukee, where in 11 seasons he was a two-time All-Star, the 1956 NL ERA and 1959 wins leader, and the 1957 World Series MVP.
Marlon Byrd, Outfielder (Philadelphia, Dallas, Chicago, New York, Boston)
Career (2002-16): 1,573 games, 5,579 ABs, .275 BA, 159 HRs, 710 RBIs, 509 XBH, 740 runs
In Larger Markets: 1,263 games, 4,553 ABs, .280, 126 HRs, 576 RBIs, 411 XBH, 620 runs
In Other Markets: 310 games, 1,026 ABs, .253 BA, 33 HRs, 134 RBIs, 98 XBH, 120 runs
Notable: Byrd excelled in the larger markets, playing over three-quarters of his career games in those cities. He made his lone MLB All-Star Game appearance with the Cubs in 2010.
Bartolo Colon, Pitcher (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Boston)
Career (1997-2018): 247-188, 4.12 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 565 games, 38 CG, 2,535 Ks
In Larger Markets: 127-110, 4.31 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 291 games, 15 CG, 1,291 Ks
In Other Markets: 120-78, 3.90 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 274 games, 23 CG, 1,244 Ks
Notable: Colon, who was a part of 11 different franchises, led the AL in wins (21) and received its Cy Young Award with the Angels in 2007. He spent his most seasons with Cleveland (six).
Dennis Cook, Pitcher (New York, Dallas, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago)
Career (1988-2002): 64-46, 3.91 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 665 games, 1,011.2 innings, 9 saves, 739 Ks
In Larger Markets: 50-31, 3.84 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 532 games, 687.0 innings, 9 saves, 511 Ks
In Other Markets: 14-15, 4.07 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 133 games, 324.2 innings, 0 saves, 228 Ks
Notable: Cook, a lefty starter-turned-reliever, pitched for nine different MLB franchises, with the longest stint over 3½ years with the Mets (1998-2001).
Jake Diekman, Pitcher (Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, New York, Chicago)
Career (2012-24): 27-34, 3.91 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 705 games, 602.1 innings, 19 saves, 764 Ks
In Larger Markets: 21-22, 4.06 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 467 games, 398.2 innings, 12 saves, 495 Ks
In Other Markets: 6-12, 3.62 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 238 games, 203.2 innings, 7 saves, 269 Ks
Notable: Diekman tied for the MLB high in holds (31) in 2019, starting the season in Kansas City before being traded to Oakland, where he was particularly effective through 2021.
Kenny Lofton, Outfielder (Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Dallas, New York)
Career (1991-2007): 2,103 games, 8,120 ABs, .299 BA, 130 HRs, 781 RBIs, 1,528 runs, 622 SBs
In Larger Markets: 555 games, 1,989 ABs, .279 BA, 26 HRs, 180 RBIs, 366 runs, 116 SBs
In Other Markets: 1,548 games, 6,131 ABs, .305 BA, 104 HRs, 601 RBIs, 1,162 runs, 506 SBs
Notable: With Cleveland, Lofton was the AL stolen base leader five times and made five of his six All-Star Game appearances. His stints with the White Sox, Cubs, Yankees, Phillies, Dodgers and Rangers were one season or less.
Sparky Lyle, Pitcher (New York, Boston, Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago)
Career (1967-82): 99-76, 2.88 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 899 games, 1,390.1 innings, 222 saves, 873 Ks
In Larger Markets: 99-76, 2.88 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 899 games, 1,390.1 innings, 222 saves, 873 Ks
In Other Markets: None
Notable: Look no further than Lyle for a player who thrived on the big stage. He spent his 16-season career in the larger markets, led by seven seasons with the Yankees (1972-78). He was a two-time World Series champion, a two-time AL saves leader, a three-time All-Star and the 1977 AL Cy Young Award winner in the Bronx.
Kevin Pillar, Outfielder (New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Dallas, Chicago)
Career (2013-25): 1,234 games, 4,131 ABs, .255 BA, 114 HRs, 469 RBIs, 375 XBH, 533 runs
In Larger Markets: 278 games, 781 ABs, .233 BA, 27 HRs, 106 RBIs, 70 XBH, 35 runs
In Other Markets: 956 games, 3,350 ABs, .260 BA, 87 HRs, 363 RBIs, 305 XBH, 498 runs
Notable: Over half of Pillar’s career games came in Toronto in his first six-plus seasons. In the larger U.S. markets, his high was 124 games with the Mets in 2021.
Todd Zeile, Infielder (New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago)
Career (1989-2004): 2,158 games, 7,573 ABs, .265 BA, 253 HRs, 1,110 RBIs, 673 XBH, 986 runs
In Larger Markets: 1,128 games, 3,909 ABs, .261 BA, 144 HRs, 552 RBIs, 354 XBH, 504 runs
In Other Markets: 1,030 games, 3,664 ABs, .268 BA, 109 HRs, 558 RBIs, 319 XBH, 482 runs
Notable: Zeile played for 11 different franchises (twice with the Mets) over 16 seasons, including the first seven in St. Louis. He posted similar statistics across the larger and smaller market levels.
Jake Coyne of Stats Perform’s U.S. Data Insights provided research to this story.
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