NY Mets: Five fabulous Sandy Alderson moves as Mets GM

2015: The last-minute Yoenis Cespedes trade at the deadline

If there ever was one transaction that defined Sandy Alderson’s time as Mets General Manager and could be defined as franchising altering, it was the trade with Detroit Tigers at the 2015 MLB Trade Deadline for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. In return, the Mets would give up Minor League pitchers Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa. We all have to remember this trade may never have happened if it wasn’t for the nixed Carlos Gomez trade with the Milwaukee Brewers just a couple of days prior.

Cespedes burst on to the scene immediately with the Mets and not only brought the production on the field, but he also brought energy and swagger to the ballclub that we hadn’t seen since our homegrown shortstop Jose Reyes had departed after the 2011 season.

Prior to this trade occurring a mere thirteen minutes prior to the deadline, let us also not forget that the Mets also had just blown a 7-1 lead less than 24 hours prior and we also had to stomach days in July with John Mayberry Jr. hitting cleanup due to a lack of offensive options during most of the first half of the regular season.

Enter La Potencia. Cespedes would hit .287 with a ridiculous .942 OPS to go along with 17 home runs and 44 RBI’s over his 57 magical regular-season games with the Mets, and help power their way to the National League Pennant and World Series birth. Cespedes would also go on to have a very successful 2016 campaign with the Mets after re-signing in the offseason, despite his season being marred with a golfing controversy.

While the Cespedes marriage did not end how all of us would have envisioned in 2020, there is no denying the impact Cespedes made during the 2015 and 2016 seasons with the Mets and allowed the team to reach heights that most likely weren’t feasible had this trade not been made.