Single-season WAR leaders for players appearing for 2 teams

Keith Hernandez
Icon SMI

In 2011, Hunter Pence put up a memorable third of a season with the Phillies after coming over in a trade. After a good 2.7 WAR with the Astros in the first two-third of the season, he posted an amazing 2.5 with Philadelphia.

Nobody did better in a season involvement movement than Rickey Henderson in 1989, who accumulated 3.3 in 65 games with the Yankees and then 5.3 more in 85 games with the Athletics before leading Oakland to a World Series title.

Here are the season-by-season leaders in WAR among players (batters only) to appear for at least two different teams in the same season.

Rank   Player                        WAR 
2011   Hunter Pence                  5.2 
2010   Alex Gonzalez/Jhonny Peralta  3.2 
2009   Matt Holliday                 5   
2008   Mark Teixeira                 7.3 
2007   Mark Teixeira                 5   
2006   Bobby Abreu                   3.7 
2005   Randy Winn                    5.7 
2004   Carlos Beltran                5.5 
2003   Brian Giles                   4   
2002   Scott Rolen                   5.9 
2001   Fred McGriff                  4   
2000   Charles Johnson               5.4 
1999   Randy Velarde                 6.4 
1998   Mike Piazza                   6.2 
1997   Mark McGwire                  4.9 
1996   Dave Hollins/Kevin Seitzer    3.7 
1995   Bobby Bonilla                 3.1 
1994   Deion Sanders                 1.3 
1993   Rickey Henderson              5   
1992   Ruben Sierra                  2.8 
1991   Steve Buechele                3.4 
1990   Willie McGee                  4.7 
1989   Rickey Henderson              8.6 
1988   Ken Phelps                    2.7 
1987   Kevin Mitchell                3.9 
1986   Ron Hassey                    2.9 
1985   Bill Madlock/Mitch Webster    1.8 
1984   Dan Driessen                  2   
1983   Keith Hernandez               5.7 
1982   Roy Smalley                   2.8 
1981   Jeffrey Leonard               1.7 
1980   Jason Thompson                4.1 
1979   Oscar Gamble                  4.6 
1978   Bobby Bonds                   4.3 
1977   Bake McBride                  3.5 
1976   Roy Smalley                   2.7 
1975   Garry Maddox                  3.1 
1974   Frank Robinson                3.7 
1973   Richie Scheinblum             1.9 
1972   Bob Oliver                    2.6 
1971   Don Mincher                   3.7 
1970   Aurelio Rodriguez             5.2 
1969   Tony Gonzalez                 4.3 
1968   Vic Davalillo                 2.7 
1967   Eddie Mathews                 2   
1966   Adolfo Phillips               2.9 
1965   Len Gabrielson                1.6 
1964   Lou Brock                     5.1 
1963   Joe Azcue                     2.2 
1962   Don Landrum                   1.3 
1961   Lee Thomas/Ed Bailey          2.2 

I'm willing to bet there's a name or two on here you don't recognize.

• There are several memorable mid-season trades on here, including Lou Brock in 1964, Willie McGee in 1990, and Mike Piazza (twice) in 1998.
• Three players (including Roy Smalley and Rickey Henderson) appear twice, with Mark Teixeira being particularly interesting, doing it in two consecutive years.
• Deion Sanders had a very low WAR of 1.3 in 1994, I presume because player movement was low this year because of the strike. The only other year with such a low leader was 1962, but I don't have a theory on that (unless it's related to expansion somehow.)