Was this the most irrelevant midseason NY Mets-Yankees trade the two teams ever made?

Trades between the New York Mets and New York Yankees are usually reserved for the darkest depths of social media. They just don’t happen. On July 10, 1989, the two clubs made a rare exception and struck what might’ve been the most irrelevant midseason swap between the two clubs.

A 23-year-old outfielder was sent by the Mets to the Yankees for a 30-year-old pitcher. A standard veteran for prospect trade, they combined to play in 10 major league games for anyone following the move.

Marcus Lawton for Scott Nielsen might be the most forgettable midseason Mets-Yankees trade ever

Marcus Lawton was the sixth round pick of the Mets in 1983. The brother of Matt Lawton, who would later play briefly for the Mets, the elder brother would manage to climb into 10 games for the 1989 Yankees. He was 3 for 14 with nothing but singles.

Lawton would spend the rest of his career in the minors for several different organizations. The Mets were already disinterested in his services. A 1988 Rule 5 Draft pick by the California Angels and later returned to the Mets, using him in a trade seemed likely.

For Scott Nielsen, though?

A fringe major leaguer for much of his career, Nielsen spent most of 1989 in the minor leagues. Just 0.2 innings in 2 games for the 1989 Yankees, they were more than willing to move on from a career 5.49 ERA pitcher. Nielsen would toss 21 games in 1989 and another 17 in Triple-A the following season. The Mets never saw the need to promote him. After the 1990 season, his career was over.

Quickly forgotten trades like this aren’t rare in baseball. This one is only unique because of the geographic rivals involved. Neither club seemed to gain a thing. Lawton was released by the Yankees after only one year. Nielsen lingered in the minors for only one more season before becoming a free agent and then retiring.

Not all Mets-Yankees trades can be Robin Ventura for David Justice although that notable deal had its own quirk with the latter never playing a game for the Amazins. A baseball rarity, it seems we should always count on any deals between these two clubs to be much less than anticipated.

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