BJ Upton

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Upton's time in Tampa Bay was marked by dynamic play and occasional discipline issues. In 2008, manager Joe Maddon benched him twice for lack of hustle: once on August 6 for not running out a ground ball, and again on August 15 in the sixth inning for failing to run out a double play ball. Later that month, Upton reacted as if he hit a home run when a ball bounced off the wall, casually jogging before trying to stretch it into a double and getting thrown out; Maddon called it "just a mental mistake." Friction also occurred on June 27, 2010, when teammate Evan Longoria argued with Upton over effort after a long retrieval of a ball hit by Rusty Ryal, with Willy Aybar intervening to separate them. Despite these moments, Upton was a postseason hero in 2008, driving in four runs against the White Sox and eleven against the Red Sox, while scoring a crucial game-tying run in Game 5 of the World Series before it was suspended by rain.

In Their Own Story

The atmosphere at Tropicana Field shifted on June 27, 2010, during a home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Rusty Ryal hit a ball into left-center field that Upton took too long to retrieve, allowing a double to become a triple. At the end of the inning, Evan Longoria confronted Upton in the dugout about his effort. The two argued at very close range until Longoria walked away and Willy Aybar grabbed Upton by the waist to pull him from the scene. Manager Joe Maddon later cited the lack of hustle as a fault. Years earlier, on August 6, 2008, Upton was held out of the lineup entirely for failing to run out a ground ball. A week later, he was benched mid-game for not running out a double play ball and replaced by Justin Ruggiano. These incidents highlighted the tension between his raw talent and the team's expectations for consistent effort.

Reader's Guide

Fans tracking B.J. Upton at Tampa Bay should note his versatility and specific milestones. He started games at shortstop (16 in 2004), third base (11 in 2004, 48 in 2006), second base (57 in 2007), and center field. In the minors, he led the leagues with 56 errors in 2003 but was a top prospect ranked #2 by Baseball America in 2004. His 2007 season saw him bat .320/.396/.545 before his July injury. Post-injury, he became the starting center fielder and finished with 24 home runs and 22 stolen bases, joining Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield, Ian Kinsler, Grady Sizemore, and Curtis Granderson as one of six AL batters with 20 homers and 20 steals that year. His 2010 season featured a league-leading 42 stolen bases (fifth in the AL) but also 164 strikeouts (second in the AL). He hit his first grand slam on September 11, 2011, against Boston.

Did You Know?

• Upton was the youngest player in the major leagues and the youngest Ray ever when he debuted on August 2, 2004.
• He and his brother Justin are the only two brothers in MLB history to be selected No. 1 and No. 2 in separate drafts (Justin was drafted first overall in 2005).
• In 2008, Upton hit seven home runs in three postseason series, including four against the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS.
• Upton became the first Tampa Bay Ray to hit for the cycle on October 2, 2009.
• On August 3, 2012, both B.J. and Justin Upton hit their 100th career home runs on the same day.