Born: (1968-02-27) February 27, 1968 (age 56) Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
Professional debut
MLB: May 29, 1992, for the Montreal Expos
NPB: June 15, 1993, for the Chunichi Dragons
Last appearance
NPB: October 18, 1993, for the Chunichi Dragons
MLB: July 22, 2011, for the Washington Nationals
MLB statistics
Batting average
.262
Home runs
265
Runs batted in
899
NPB statistics
Batting average
.250
Home runs
6
Runs batted in
23
Teams
As player
Montreal Expos (1992–1993)
Chunichi Dragons (1993)
Boston Red Sox (1995)
Oakland Athletics (1996–2000)
Chicago Cubs (2001)
Milwaukee Brewers (2002)
Pittsburgh Pirates (2003)
Kansas City Royals (2004–2006)
Texas Rangers (2006)
Detroit Tigers (2006)
Toronto Blue Jays (2007–2008)
Philadelphia Phillies (2008–2009)
San Diego Padres (2010)
Washington Nationals (2011)
As coach
Philadelphia Phillies (2017)
San Diego Padres (2018)
Career highlights and awards
World Series champion (2008)
MLB record 23 career pinch-hit home runs
Member of the Canadian
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction
2015
Matthew Wade Stairs (born February 27, 1968) is a Canadian former professional baseball outfielder, first baseman, and designated hitter, who holds the record for most pinch-hit home runs in Major League Baseball (MLB) history with 23.[1] His pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning of Game 4 in the 2008 National League Championship Series off the Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Jonathan Broxton was called "one of the most memorable home runs in Phillies history".[2]
In his career, Stairs played for more teams than any position player in MLB history (12 – technically 13 teams, but 12 franchises, as he played for the Montreal Expos and Washington Nationals); Edwin Jackson holds the record for pitchers and all players at 14.[3]
He was the second Canadian-born player ever to hit more than thirty-five home runs in a season, and only the second to hit more than 25 home runs and drive in more than 100 runs in back-to-back seasons. He ranks either first or second in power hitting categories for Canadian major leaguers. Stairs also holds the all-time MLB record of home runs hit as a pinch-hitter with 23. His ability to pinch hit made him a valuable asset to several teams and earned him the nickname "Matt Stairs – Professional Hitter". Stairs, Larry Walker, Justin Morneau, Jason Bay, and Joey Votto are the only Canadian MLB players to hit at least 200 career home runs.[4] On February 4, 2015, Stairs was elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.[5]
^"Stairs sets record for pinch hit home runs". Reuters. August 21, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
^Zolecki, Todd (May 11, 2009). "Revisiting top 10 moments of '08 NLCS". Philadelphia Phillies. MLB.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
^Stark, Jayson (March 13, 2012). "Stark: Dotel knows all about changing places". ESPN. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
^"Players by birthplace: Canada Baseball Stats and Info". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
^Chisholm, Gregor (February 4, 2015). "Delgado, Stairs highlight '15 Canadian Hall class". Toronto Blue Jays. MLB.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
valuable asset to several teams and earned him the nickname "MattStairs – Professional Hitter". Stairs, Larry Walker, Justin Morneau, Jason Bay, and Joey Votto...
George Hendrick 267 Mike Napoli 267 216 Vic Wertz 266 217 George Bell 265 MattStairs 265 219 Bobby Thomson 264 220 José Abreu (2) 263 Kyle Schwarber (17)...
former Phillie MattStairs would join the Phillies' television broadcast crew as color analysts for the 2014 season. Moyer and Stairs joined in-game reporter...
McCovey, Ron Northey – tied with three each Most pinch-hit home runs MattStairs – 23 Most pinch-hit game-winning grand slams Brooks Conrad – 2 Most pinch-hit...
on April 7, 2012, breaking a record previously held by Mike Morgan, MattStairs, and Ron Villone. Edwin Jackson broke this record in 2019. Dotel's longest...
hired Kruk to join the Philadelphia Phillies broadcast team, replacing MattStairs, who was hired as the Phillies' hitting coach. After moving to Naples...
of Jeff Bagwell, while also projecting him to play a role similar to MattStairs. He made his professional debut with the Boise Hawks three days later...
the eighth inning, two home runs by Shane Victorino and pinch-hitter MattStairs plated four runs and put the Dodgers in a hole out of which they could...
after he had been traded from the Cubs during the season), Tom Gordon, MattStairs, Jamie Moyer, Jerry Hairston Jr., Mark DeRosa, Mike Fontenot, Ryan Theriot...
1955–1975 Mike Schmidt 1990 2014–2019, 2021–present Frank Sims 1960–1962 MattStairs 2014–2016 Dolly Stark 1936 Kevin Stocker 2018 2022–present Kent Tekulve...
future Major League Baseball players as Rondell White, Cliff Floyd, MattStairs, Kirk Rueter, and F.P. Santangelo. The Lynx eventually retired two numbers:...
Padres, becoming the third Canadian MLB player after Larry Walker and MattStairs to reach this milestone. Bay hit another grand slam in September en route...
colour commentator; on select series, Toronto Raptors play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin calls the game in place of Shulman, and Joe Siddall works colour commentary...
career, tied for 3rd all time with pitcher Mike Morgan and outfielder MattStairs, and trailing only Octavio Dotel and Edwin Jackson. Born in Englewood...
with Raúl Ibañez hitting a ground rule double and then scoring on a MattStairs RBI single off A. J. Burnett in the second inning. Mark Teixeira tied...
question of a salary cap... Keri 2014, p. 285 Keri 2014, p. 309 Snyder, Matt (August 11, 2014), "1994 MLB Strike Anniversary: What if the Expos won the...
Hannah Takes the Stairs is a 2007 American independent mumblecore film by Joe Swanberg. It has been described "as the defining movie of the low-budget...
Baseball Classic teams. The Phillies defeated Team Canada (with Phillie MattStairs) on March 4, 9–2, and lost to Team USA (with Jimmy Rollins and Shane...
Both were assigned other jobs within the organization. Jamie Moyer and MattStairs were hired to replace them. Biography portal List of Major League Baseball...
the remainder of the season. He allowed a pinch hit two-run homer to MattStairs of the Philadelphia Phillies in the 8th inning of Game 4 of the 2008...
Phillies lead in the 8th on a pinch-hit, two-run home run from MattStairs! — MattStairs's go-ahead home run in Game 4 of the 2008 National League Championship...
prior year's dismal output of 65–97. The strong play of Jason Giambi, MattStairs and Kenny Rogers highlighted an otherwise forgettable campaign. Rogers'...
off Wade and promptly gave up another two-run homer to pinch-hitter MattStairs, the veteran's first career postseason homer. Brad Lidge then came in...
Rogers Tim Salmon Johan Santana Scot Shields Terrmel Sledge Scott Spiezio MattStairs Lee Stevens Miguel Tejada Javier Valentín Ellis Valentine Fernando Valenzuela...
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