Every franchise has its share of bad trades, but the Mets? They turned it into an art form. From ego-driven meltdowns to front-office panic moves, the Amazins’ history is littered with deals that aged like milk left in July heat. These weren’t just roster mistakes, they were full-blown cautionary tales that reshaped the team, gutted fan morale, and made Flushing feel like a revolving door of regret. So grab your scorecards and your therapy drink of choice, because we’re diving into the Top 5 Worst Trades in Mets History, the ones that still make fans shake their heads and mutter, “Only the Mets.”
5. Robinson Cano & Edwin Diaz from the Mariners (2018)
This trade is more recent, and its legacy is still being written, but it already earns a spot among the worst. In December 2018, new Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen swung a blockbuster with Seattle, acquiring Robinson Cano (the former All-Star second baseman with a massive contract) and lights-out closer Edwin Diaz. The Mets sent the Mariners a package including top prospect Jarred Kelenic, pitching prospect Justin Dunn, and veterans Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzak, and Gerson Bautista. The context: Van Wagenen was a rookie GM eager to make a splash and signal a win-now approach. Cano, 36 at the time, was coming off a PED suspension but had a decorated career, and Diaz was arguably the best closer in baseball in 2018 (57 saves and just 24 years old). The Mets’ goal was to bolster the roster for an immediate playoff push in 2019, even if it meant taking on Cano’s hefty contract. Seattle, on the other hand, wanted to dump Cano’s salary and embraced a rebuild by acquiring one of the highest-rated prospects in baseball (Kelenic) and other pieces. It was a high-risk, high-reward move for New York, and many felt it reeked of desperation and short-term thinking.
Outcome: Over the next few years, this trade became a sore point for Mets fans. Robinson Cano had a forgettable (and expensive) Mets tenure, in 2019 he was mediocre (.256, 13 HR) and then in 2020 he actually hit well in the shortened season, but he was suspended again for the entire 2021 season due to a second positive PED test. That effectively torpedoed his time in New York, and the Mets released Cano in early 2022 while eating tens of millions of dollars remaining on his contract. Edwin Diaz, after a rocky first year (5.59 ERA in 2019), did find his footing and by 2022 was absolutely dominant as the Mets’ closer (earning All-Star honors and entrancing fans with his Timmy Trumpet entrance music). So Diaz proved his worth, but the irony is the Mets had to sign him to a record-breaking new contract to keep him, meaning they paid twice (once in prospects, once in dollars). And what about Jarred Kelenic, the jewel they sacrificed? Kelenic’s MLB career started slowly (much to the Mets’ relief), but by 2023 he began to show the star potential Seattle believed in. He’s still young and could haunt the Mets for the next decade if he blossoms into an All-Star. The Mets also surrendered Justin Dunn (who made some starts for Seattle) and took on the bad contracts of Bruce and Swarzak to facilitate the deal. Perhaps most telling: the Mets did not reach the playoffs in 2019 or 2020, the initial window this trade was meant to maximize. And Van Wagenen, the GM, was fired after 2020 as the new ownership cleaned house. Why it’s wild: This trade was a headliner for its sheer scale, a seven-player megadeal, and it remains controversial. On one hand, Edwin Diaz became a fan favorite and one of the game’s best closers, which is the only saving grace. On the other, the Mets saddled themselves with a bloated Cano contract and gave up a potential future star in Kelenic, all for a win-now plan that never quite materialized. It’s a stark example of the dangers when a GM “falls in love” with a big name. Mets fans sarcastically refer to this as the trade where we paid $100 million for the privilege of giving away a top prospect. While Diaz’s success has softened the blow a bit, the trade is still largely viewed as a bust, especially every time Kelenic hits a long home run in Seattle. In classic Mets fashion, the deal brought a mix of excitement and anguish. If nothing else, it’s a wild cautionary tale that even when you get the star (or two stars), it doesn’t guarantee you won’t regret the price you paid.
4. Scott Kazmir to the Devil Rays (2004)
The 2004 deadline deal that sent pitching prodigy Scott Kazmir to Tampa Bay for pitcher Victor Zambrano (and minor leaguer Bartolomé Fortunato) has become a stuff of Mets legend, for all the wrong reasons. Context: The Mets were hovering around .500 in July 2004 and, despite being a long shot for the playoffs, management oddly decided to buy rather than sell. GM Jim Duquette, under pressure to show progress, targeted Victor Zambrano, a 28-year-old starter who led the league in walks but had a decent arm. The price the small-market Devil Rays demanded? Kazmir, the Mets’ top prospect and one of the most electric young arms in the minors. In a move that stunned the baseball world, the Mets bit. Their rationale was to get a “proven” pitcher to make a long-shot run that year and the next, while Tampa was thinking long-term (and likely couldn’t believe the Mets would actually part with Kazmir). Famously, Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson was quoted as saying he could “fix Zambrano in 10 minutes.” That quote alone tells you how overconfident the Mets were in this swap.
Outcome: The immediate reaction was outrage among Mets fans, and it only got worse with time. Zambrano, far from being fixed in 10 minutes, proved to be a disaster. He struggled with his control and elbow injuries, posting a 4.42 ERA in parts of two seasons before tearing a tendon in 2006, after which he never pitched for the Mets again. Fortunato, the other throw-in pitcher New York got, made a grand total of 17 appearances. Meanwhile, Scott Kazmir blossomed into an All-Star in Tampa. He led the American League in strikeouts by 2007 and made All-Star teams in 2006 and 2008. Across 12 big-league seasons, Kazmir won 108 games and proved to be a quality left-handed starter, though injuries later slowed him down. The trade became the butt of jokes, “Kazmir for Zambrano” is now a one-liner symbolizing shortsighted management. Even the Mets themselves seemed to learn a lesson; we didn’t see them trading their very top prospects so cavalierly for quite a while after. Why it’s wild: This deal was panned the instant it happened, a rare case where fans and analysts unanimously screamed “What are you thinking?!” and were absolutely right. It’s wild because of how avoidable and inexplicable it was. The Mets were not true contenders in 2004, yet they sacrificed the future for a pitcher who was, at best, a marginal upgrade. To this day, if you mention “10-minute fix” to a Mets fan, they’ll likely roll their eyes and mutter about Kazmir. It’s a trade that lives in infamy in Flushing, serving as a cautionary tale that sometimes the worst trades are the ones born from impatience and hubris.
3. Lenny Dykstra and Roger McDowell to the Phillies (1989)
In June 1989, the Mets made a panic trade that sent two beloved 1986 championship pieces, Lenny Dykstra and Roger McDowell, to the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies for second baseman Juan Samuel. Talk about a head-scratcher: Dykstra was a fan-favorite spark plug (nicknamed “Nails” for his toughness) and McDowell was a reliable closer and clubhouse prankster, but the Mets were underperforming and decided they needed a flashy, pure leadoff hitter. Juan Samuel had been a star for Philly earlier in the ’80s (rookie of the year in ’84) and the Mets thought moving him to center field would fill their hole out there and ignite the offense. Each team’s motive was clear: the Mets were making a “win now” shake-up (perhaps influenced by an impatient front office), and the Phillies were looking to retool and happily took two proven players for one. Still, trading within the NL East, and giving up two popular contributors, was a risky move that, in retrospect, felt like a huge overreaction.
Outcome: This trade was essentially a gift to the Phillies. Juan Samuel fizzled in New York, batting a miserable .228 in 86 games for the Mets before they flipped him away the following year. He never adjusted to playing center field or the Big Apple spotlight. Meanwhile, Lenny Dykstra thrived in Philadelphia, instantly becoming their fiery leadoff man and eventually finishing second in MVP voting in 1993 while leading the Phillies to a pennant (he hit over .300 three times in Philly). Roger McDowell continued to be a solid reliever for several more years (he saved games and put up a 3.03 ERA across an 12-year career). To make matters worse, both Dykstra and McDowell were key figures in the Phillies clubhouse, meaning the Mets had essentially turbo-charged a rival with two motivated ex-Mets. New York, on the other hand, got virtually nothing from Samuel’s brief tenure. Why it’s wild: It’s rare that the Mets and Phillies swap significant players, and this deal shows why, the Mets got burned badly. Trading “Nails” was like trading the team’s grit and soul, and fans were not amused. It didn’t help that Dykstra went on to torment the Mets wearing Philly red. This trade is often brought up as one of the worst in Mets history not just for the lost production, but for the symbolic gut-punch of seeing two World Series heroes sent packing for a quick fix that flat-out failed. Mets fans still cringe and ask, “What were they thinking?” whenever June ’89 comes up.
2. Nolan Ryan to the Angels (1971)
On December 10, 1971, the Mets parted with a young fireballer named Nolan Ryan, sending him (along with three other players) to the California Angels for veteran infielder Jim Fregosi. At the time, the deal had a (somewhat) logical premise: the Mets were desperate for a third baseman and Fregosi was a six-time All-Star shortstop whom they planned to transition to third. Ryan, though armed with a golden right arm, had struggled with wildness and never fully cracked the Mets rotation; some in New York’s brass thought he might never harness his control. The Angels, meanwhile, were happy to gamble on a 24-year-old flamethrower with high upside. In essence, the Mets were trying to win now by acquiring a proven bat, while the Angels were looking toward the future with young pitching. Little did the Mets realize, they were about to send away a pitcher who would go on to rewrite the record books.
Outcome: This trade quickly became one of the most lopsided in MLB history. Nolan Ryan found his control in sunny California and immediately blossomed into an ace. In his first year with the Angels, Ryan’s ERA dropped from 3.97 to 2.28 and he set a new strikeout record, foreshadowing the dominance to come. Over the next two decades (yes, decades), Ryan would throw 7 no-hitters, record 5,714 strikeouts (an all-time record), and earn induction into the Hall of Fame, none of which he did in a Mets uniform. Jim Fregosi, on the other hand, was a total bust in New York. He batted a paltry .232 with 5 home runs in 1972 and never found his groove at third base. By the middle of 1973, the Mets had given up and shipped Fregosi off to Texas. The other pieces in the trade were of little note: outfielder Leroy Stanton was a serviceable player for California, and the two minor leaguers (Don Rose and Frank Estrada) barely made a blip in the majors. In hindsight, the Mets essentially traded away a future legend for one forgettable season of an aging infielder. Why it’s wild: It’s the classic cautionary tale of giving up on young talent too soon. Mets management badly underestimated Ryan’s trajectory, he was a Texas country boy who felt out of place in NYC, and perhaps all he needed was a change of scenery. Still, that’s cold comfort to Mets fans who have spent decades imagining what if Nolan Ryan had stayed. Every time you see a no-hitter or a strikeout record, a Mets fan somewhere mutters, “Yeah, we had that guy… and we gave him up for Jim Fregosi.” Oof.
1. Tom Seaver to the Reds (1977)
Infamously known as the “Midnight Massacre,” the Mets dealt franchise icon Tom Seaver to Cincinnati on June 15, 1977, in exchange for Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, and Dan Norman. This was not a baseball trade so much as a soap opera: Seaver, a three-time Cy Young winner and the literal face of the franchise, was clashing with Mets chairman M. Donald Grant over salary and respect. Contract negotiations turned ugly (aided by some venomous newspaper columns), and the Mets ownership astonishingly decided to ship out the greatest player in team history rather than pay him. The Reds, of course, were eager to add an ace of Seaver’s caliber to their already strong squad. The Mets claimed they were getting four players to rebuild a depleted roster, but fans saw it for what it was: a salary dump and the ousting of a beloved star due to management’s ego.
Outcome: To put it bluntly, this trade devastated the Mets fanbase and ushered in a dark age in Queens. Seaver was 32 at the time but still had plenty left, he threw 5½ productive seasons for Cincinnati, including three All-Star appearances and even a no-hitter, before eventually returning to the Mets in 1983 (by then at the tail end of his Hall of Fame career). He would finish with 311 wins and a first-ballot Hall induction, forever known as “Tom Terrific.” The package the Mets got in return was underwhelming. While Pat Zachry had one good season (he was co-NL Rookie of the Year in ’77, partly due to his decent performance post-trade), he never became an ace (41-46 record in six Mets years). Doug Flynn was a light-hitting infielder (great glove, bat as limp as a wet newspaper, hitting .237 as a Met). Steve Henderson showed flashes, a respectable outfielder for a few years, but he was no superstar (Mets fans’ hopeful “Hendu can do” chants only went so far). Dan Norman was a non-factor (a career .227 hitter). Why it’s wild (in the worst way): This trade remains the most unpopular move in team history. Mets fans were in open revolt over losing “The Franchise.” Attendance plummeted, and the team languished in the standings for years. It’s a cautionary tale of what happens when penny-pinching and pride trump sound baseball judgment. Even today, mentioning June 15, 1977, to a Mets fan might prompt a shudder, it’s the night the Mets traded away their soul, proving that even Amazin’ miracles can be undone by Amazin’ mistakes.
What trade did we miss that you HATED for our New York Mets team? Start the conversation in the comments…#LFGM
Sources: Historical trade details and outcomes have been compiled from official MLB reports and reputable Mets history archives, as well as contemporary news analyses. These trades continue to be discussed and debated in Mets fan circles for their lasting impact on the franchise. Whether amazingly good or infamously bad, each of these ten trades has secured a place in Amazin’ history, serving as joyful memories or cautionary tales for generations of Mets fans.