The best Mets trade with the Nationals/Expos

The New York Mets haven’t made too many trades with the Washington Nationals. Extending a little further into the past, however, we find a whole history of deals made with the Montreal Expos.

Because they are simply a rose called a different name, to find the best trade we need to go back to those Expos days.

For this, we arrive in December of 1984. Four players were traded to Montreal in exchange for one Hall of Famer, Gary Carter.

The best Mets trade with the Nationals was a deal with the Expos for Gary Carter

The Carter trade cost the Mets Hubie Brooks, Mike Fitzgerald, Herm Winningham, and Floyd Youmans. In return, they received what many regard as the “finishing piece” to the championship puzzle.

Carter finished sixth in the MVP vote in 1985 and third in 1986. Those were his best two seasons in New York with the 1985 season standing out statistically even greater. This was the year where Carter hit 32 home runs and drove in 100 while slashing .281/.365/.488. However, it was in 1986 when the rest of the team around him needed his presence even more.

Carter was key to the Mets winning the 1986 World Series. While his overall Mets numbers may not measure up greatly with a .249/.319/.412 slash line, it was his leadership that many regard as the most important skill he brought.

Honorable mention Mets trades with the Nationals and Expos

From Montreal, the mid-1969 trade for Donn Clendenon had a similar result as the Carter trade. Clendenon may not have had the same regular season impact (at least not in 1969) but as the World Series MVP for the club, how can you talk about great Mets trades and not mention this one?

A little more recent and involving the Nationals, there are two trades to look at. The 2007 Ryan Church and Brian Schneider for Lastings Milledge wasn’t a bad trade for the Mets. Milledge never came close to the lofty expectations many had for him. More recently, the March of 2015 trade for Jerry Blevins stands out. The price: Matt den Dekker.

The trade for Carter is one of the most important the Mets franchise ever made. Between the two cities and pair of nicknames the organization had, it’s the best.