Which Twins players have played with the Athletics? MLB Immaculate Grid Answers September 8

Every day, MLB fans can look forward to a new installment of the Immaculate Grid. Baseball Reference's quiz game is one of the premier ways for fans of all ages to test their knowledge of the game we love.

The 3 x 3 Immaculate Grid features nine squares that users must populate. To do this, one has to take into account the clues on each axis to put the proper names at the corresponding intersections.

On September 8, one of the grid questions asked for players who have appeared for the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics at some point in their careers. Let's have a look at some relevant names.

"Immaculate Grid 159. Retweet or reply with your score!" - Immaculate Grid

Players who have played for Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins | MLB Immaculate Grid September 8

Closer Grant Balfour was one of the only Australian players to reach elite reliever status. Balfour made his debut in 2001 for the Twins, but missed all of 2002 due to injury.

In 2013, he gained the first All-Star appearance of his career, after putting up a 2.59 ERA alongside 38 saves. Balfour, who retired in 2015, will always be remembered for his foul-mouthed taunting of Detroit Tigers player Victor Martinez in the 2013 ALDS, which led to a bench-clearing brawl.

"Regretfully, I missed Víctor Martínez’s birthday (on 12/23). So here’s a little #TBT to the 2013 ALDS, when Grant Balfour had him ready to take on the entire country of Australia." - Miguel Cabrera's Bat

Coincidentally, current Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks is another elite Australian closer. Despite making his debut for the Twins in 2011, it would be four years before Hendriks posted an ERA under 4, which he did after putting up a 2.92 figure as a member of the 2015 Toronto Blue Jays.

In 2019, his sophomore season in Oakland, Hendriks recorded a 1.80 ERA across 75 relief appearances, earning a spot on his first All-Star team. A cancer survivor, Hendriks' 38 saves with the 2021 White Sox led the NL in the category.

Catcher Terry Steinbach was a member of the late-1980s Oakland Athletics that was regarded as one of the strongest teams of the modern age. A back-to-back All-Star in 1988 and 1989, Steinbach connected for 35 home runs and 100 RBIs in 1996, his final season with Oakland.

In 1997, he joined the Twins, and hit .256 with 30 home runs and 150 RBIs in three seasons in the Twin Cities before announcing his retirement.

"Terry Steinbach watching his homer in the 1988 All Star Game. He was named the MVP of the game." - Baseball in Pics

Current Minnesota Twins starter Sonny Gray has been one of the strongest starters this year. The 2023 All-Star owns an ERA of 2.98 across 163 innings this season.

An 18th overall selection by the A's in 2011, Gray finished third in AL Cy Young voting in 2015 after putting up a 14-7 record to accompany an ERA of 2.73 over the course of 31 starts - including an AL-best 2 complete game shutouts.