3 blockbuster NY Mets trades that changed the franchise for the best, 2 that didn't

The Mike Piazza trade made the Mets legitimate for the first time in a long time

Slowly but surely, the Mets began to become relevant at the end of the 1990s. The first years of the decade were miserable due to poor decision-making. Ownership spent money, but failed to find the franchise-altering player to uplift the ball club. This changed with a May trade in 1998 when the team added Mike Piazza.

Impactful May trades are rare, even more so with the MLB trade deadline getting pushed back to the end of July or early August from mid-June. Everything about the Piazza trade was a rarity. One of the game’s most unique offensive catchers, Piazza was a top 10 MVP finisher every season from 1993-1998. The runner-up for the award in 1996 and 1997, he hit for power and average. The hype of Piazza coming to New York was real. It couldn’t have gone much better.

Piazza immediately showed his impact, belting 23 home runs and driving in 76 in 109 games for the Mets in 1998. His .607 slugging percentage remains the largest in any full season by a Mets player. His contributions would continue at a high level for several more seasons. Piazza entrenched himself in Mets history and put together the finishing touches on a Hall of Fame career.

Maybe it’s a mix of mass media coverage yet fewer distractions than we have today that could have one remembering the Piazza trade as the single biggest in team history. His home run in the first game back after 9/11 is a top Mets, New York, and American sports moment.