NY Mets Trades: Five most impactful deals with the Blue Jays

December 17, 2012 – Mets acquire Noah Syndergaard

Another important Mets trade with the Blue Jays that took place in December involved a Cy Young winner changing uniforms. Typically, when this happens, the team landing the Cy Young winner is the winner. This deal was different. The Mets, by most accounts, won the December 17, 2012 trade with the Blue Jays.

Just weeks after winning the Cy Young, R.A. Dickey was sent to Toronto with Mike Nickeas and Josh Thole. Heading south of the border to New York, we find Wuilmer Becerra, John Buck, Travis d’Arnaud, and the biggest piece in the deal, Noah Syndergaard.

At the time of the trade, d’Arnaud was the chip headlining the swap from Toronto. He had already been traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Blue Jays for another Cy Young winner, Roy Halladay. While he had a nice run with the Mets, it’s Syndergaard who proved to be the most successful player of all in this deal.

This trade wasn’t a total annihilation by the Mets as Dickey had four good years with Toronto. Overall, the ageless knuckleballer was 49-52 with a 4.05 ERA.

Meanwhile, Syndergaard developed a cult following. His long blonde hair and nickname “Thor” made even non-Mets fans pay attention. Add in some of the most electric fastballs in baseball, Syndergaard was a young star through only his first season in the big leagues.

Syndergaard’s story in New York is not yet finished. Through five seasons, he has made 118 starts and a single relief appearance which has added up to a 47-30 record and 3.31 ERA. He has been an All-Star once but would have likely been there at least another time if not for injuries holding him back.