Greg Harris

Who is Greg Harris?

Greg Allen Harris is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees from 1981 to 1995. Harris pitched in 703 games in his career, starting 98. He pitched for the Padres in the 1984 World Series, which they lost to the Detroit Tigers in five games.

Harris is best known as the only switch pitcher in the modern era. A natural right-hander, by 1986 he could throw well enough left-handed that he felt he could pitch with either hand in a game, but the opportunity did not immediately arise. Harris wasn't allowed to throw lefty in a regular-season game until September 28, 1995, his penultimate game with the Expos. In the ninth inning, Harris retired Reggie Sanders pitching right-handed, then switched to his left hand for the next two hitters, Hal Morris and Ed Taubensee, who both batted lefty. Harris walked Morris but got Taubensee to ground out. He then went back to his right hand to retire Bret Boone to end the inning.

During his career, Harris was often known as Greg A. Harris to differentiate him from fellow pitcher Greg W.