Devon White

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

White's tenure with Toronto began on December 2, 1990, when he was traded from the California Angels alongside Willie Fraser and Marcus Moore for Junior Félix and Luis Sojo. Over his time in blue, he won five Gold Glove awards, bringing his career total to seven. His defensive value peaked in 1992, when he posted a league-leading 3.9 Defensive Wins Above Replacement. The connection between his play and the team's success was evident in the postseason; while his regular-season batting average with Toronto sat at .270, he elevated his performance significantly, hitting .336 in the playoffs to help secure championship runs.

In Their Own Story

Game 3 of the 1992 World Series against the Atlanta Braves featured one of the most famous plays in history. With David Justice batting and runners on first and second, Justice hit a fly ball that White chased down at the wall, making a leaping catch. He immediately fired the ball to Roberto Alomar at second base for an out, setting up a potential double play. Although Terry Pendleton was called out for passing Deion Sanders, the throw went to third where Kelly Gruber tagged Sanders. The umpire, Bob Davidson, missed the tag and called Sanders safe, costing Toronto the second triple play in World Series history. Afterward, Davidson admitted he missed the call upon reviewing the replay.

Reader's Guide

Fans should note White's unique historical distinction regarding World Series endings. He is the only player to be the batter for the final out of two different World Series won by his team: flying out to Pete Incaviglia in Game 6 of the 1993 series and grounding out to Tony Fernández in Game 7 of the 1997 series with the Florida Marlins. Beyond the field, White became a local icon, appearing on the Canadian children's show "Under the Umbrella Tree" in a 1993 episode filmed at the SkyDome. His legacy in Toronto extends to his durability and leadership, having played 1,941 games over his entire career before retiring in 2002.

Did You Know?

• White was legally born Devon Whyte; his family's name was misspelled as 'White' on immigration paperwork at age nine.
• In 1987, he became the first rookie since 2022 to hit at least 15 home runs and steal 15 bases before the All-Star break.
• On April 11, 2000, White recorded the first base hit in Oracle Park history while playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• White is the only player to make the final out of two different World Series victories (1993 and 1997).
• In Game 3 of the 1992 World Series, White was central to a play that nearly resulted in a triple play but cost Toronto the chance due to an umpire's missed call.