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The 3 biggest Mets trades ever made with the Tigers

The three most significant trades ever made between the Mets and Tigers.

By Tim Boyle |
New York Mets
New York Mets / Focus On Sport/GettyImages
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The Detroit Tigers are one of those ancient ball clubs who should have a long track record of making trades with non-rivals. Surprisingly, the New York Mets and Tigers don’t have a vast history of making deals. In fact, we’re closing in on a full decade since they last made a trade with each other.

Although the number of trades between the two clubs isn’t plentiful, there are three big ones that helped alter the direction of at least one of the franchises involved.

Our story begins in 1975 when the Mets were on the losing side.

1) The Mets trade Rusty Staub to the Tigers for a pitcher who didn’t want to be here

Pre-Midnight Massacre, the Mets were already shipping away some fan favorites. This trade took place on December 12, 1975 and included outfielder Rusty Staub and pitcher Bill Laxton going to Detroit in exchange for Billy Baldwin and Mickey Lolich. The deal is much more Staub for Lolich than anything else. It’s a deal that, in retrospect, seems pointless in a lot of ways given how strong the Mets pitching staff already was and how much they needed Staub in the lineup.

After four productive years with the Mets, Staub went to Detroit and had an immediate impact. He continued to be a force in the lineup and even managed to earn his way onto the 1976 American League All-Star roster. In 1978, his last full year with the Tigers, he finished fifth in the MVP vote.

Back in New York, Lolich put together a productive 1976 season. The 8-13 record was in part a result of low run support. His 3.22 ERA attests to this. Already unhappy with being traded away from the Tigers in the first place, Lolich’s one year with the Mets offered no new pleasures. He would actually retire for the 1977 season to get out of his contract with the Mets and return in 1978 mostly as a reliever with the San Diego Padres.

A fan favorite for a guy who was miserable with the Mets. It didn’t have any playoff implications and yet it feels like a major loss for the Amazins.

2) The Mets trade Walt Terrell to the Tigers for Howard Johnson

This Mets trade was a win. A big one, in fact. Maybe one of the more low-key trade victories in franchise history. So big you could…okay you get the point.

Walt Terrell for Howard Johnson. The Tigers had just won the 1984 World Series and were looking to repeat as champions. Terrell, who was 11-12 with a 3.52 ERA for the Mets in 1984, was still in his mid-20s and on the rise, or so it seemed. He’d be okay for the Tigers. He could win games and pitch to an ERA in the high 3.00s or low 4.00s during his first stint there.

Johnson was a different story. It took a few years but the part-time player would become the team’s starting third baseman for the 1987 season. He made the decision look like the right one. Powering 36 home runs and driving in 99, it was a year where HoJo finished tenth in the MVP vote.

Johnson would later have two years of finishing fifth in the MVP. This includes the 1991 campaign where he led the league in home runs and RBI with 38 and 117 respectively. Each was a career-high for him.

There isn’t enough time to include all of the things Johnson did so well. A three-time 30/30 guy whose base stealing prowess matched his ability to hit for power, he’d finish his Mets tenure with 192 home runs and 202 stolen bases. Ask anyone and he’s one of the best third basemen in franchise history. 

3) The Mets trade two prospects to the Tigers for 2015 catalyst Yoenis Cespedes

Younger Mets fans won’t even know much about the Staub for Lolich deal nor will they remember Terrell for Johnson. Their/Our big Tigers trade is the one made in the summer of 2015. What a beautiful time to be alive.

Prospects Luis Cessa and Michael Fulmer were the pair sent to Detroit for the bat the Mets were missing. The drama of the 2015 trade deadline with the almost-trade between the Mets and Milwaukee Brewers for Carlos Gomez and the subsequent tears of Wilmer Flores was memorable enough. Add in the Mets acquiring Yoenis Cespedes and what he was able to do for the remainder of the year and we have one of the most significant trades in team history.

Cespedes smashed 17 home runs in only 249 plate appearances down the stretch in 2015. He was a dominant force for the club at the plate. Somewhat forgotten was how he filled in at the center field spot which offered the team very little in the way of offense. He’d actually start 39 games in center field as opposed to just 14 in left field where he spent most of his career.

This is actually the most recent Mets-Tigers trade made. Although things went south with Cespedes later on after reaching free agency twice—once following an opt out—the memories of 2015 and what he gave to the club make it a deal everyone would make 100% of the time.

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