4 times the Mets traded a fan favorite to the Phillies

Trades between the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies are rare but not uncommon. In fact, some of the deals between these two longtime rivals have included a fan favorite going from New York to Philadelphia.

An honorable mention should go out to the Rico Brogna trade. A fan favorite in the eyes of WFAN’s Evan Roberts, he made enough of an impact on the afternoon show host to inspire a podcast. Brogna didn’t quite capture too many other fans. Many more found a way to fall in love with these four other players.

1) NY Mets traded fan favorite Tug McGraw to the Phillies

So who owns the catchphrase “Ya gotta believe!” A rallying cry of the Mets and Phillies thanks to Tug McGraw, the man managed to become a cult hero for both franchises.

It was on December 3, 1974, when the two teams swapped three players each. A future fan favorite the Mets picked up in the deal, John Stearns, helped some of the suffering. Stearns became one of the more productive catchers in the late 1970s and early 1980s, making multiple All-Star teams along the way. McGraw would have his share of ups and downs in Philadelphia. The biggest up came in the 1980 season when he helped the team win its first World Series.

McGraw is one of the more interesting people in the history of both franchises. Even if we take out the fact that he was traded from one to the other, his colorful personality helped make him a fan favorite in both cities

The same would be true for a few others on this list.

3) NY Mets traded fan favorites Lenny Dykstra and Roger McDowell to the Phillies

Mets and Phillies fans will argue over who gets to claim Tug McGraw. They’ll let each other take Lenny Dykstra.

Long before the chaos later on in his career but more so in retirement, Dykstra was a darn good baseball player. He was a part of the 1986 Mets whose status with fans has them on a mantel few athletes in New York ever will reach.

This trade between the Mets and Phillies was much different than the McGraw deal. Along with another fun guy we can consider a favorite, Roger McDowell, Dykstra changed uniforms in exchange for a bust addition. Juan Samuel came over from the Phillies in an absolute steal of a trade for Philadelphia.

Dykstra would become an even better player with the Phillies, putting up his most monstrous numbers in 1993 when he was the runner-up for MVP. In his first full year with the team in 1990, Dykstra led the league with 192 hits and a .418 OBP. The June 18, 1989, swap was a quick disaster for the Mets. Samuel was traded the very next offseason in hopes that in the age before the internet everyone might forget he was ever in orange and blue.

We remember. Events from the prehistoric 1980s live on forever. This deal didn't just send one player fans in Queens liked. It got rid of two.

4) NY Mets traded fan favorite Turk Wendell to the Phillies

Mets and Phillies fans can argue over McGraw. They can pass along Dykstra in a hot potato fashion. There is no denying which team Turk Wendell represented best. Parts of five seasons were spent with the Mets. He played more games with the Mets than any other club.

Wendell first joined the Mets in the middle of the 1997 team in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. He wasn’t very good in those first 13 games, posting a 4.96 ERA.

Things changed quickly in 1998. Wendell appeared in 66 games, tossed 76.2 innings, and did it all with a 2.93 ERA. He’d continue to be available regularly out of the bullpen for Bobby Valentine. Before he was traded to the Phillies in mid-2001, Wendell wrapped up his stint with the Mets owning a 22-14 record and 3.34 ERA.

The stint came to a close on July 27, 2001, when Wendell and Dennis Cook were sent to the Phillies for pitching prospect Adam Walker and starter Bruce Chen. Chen made 11 starts for the team down the stretch, pitching to a 4.68 ERA. The Mets sent him to the Montreal Expos the next April.

Wendell wasn’t very good for the Phillies in his 2001 appearances either. The 7.47 ERA in 15.2 innings was a huge contrast from what he did in New York. The 2002 season was a wash due to injuries but he did manage to get back on the field in 2003 where he gave them a quality season.

Wendell, like McGraw, Dykstra, and McDowell had a big and often fun personality. Even Harrelson did more than fade into the background. What is it about the Mets trading interesting people to the Phillies?