Philadelphia Phillies: 15 best trades in franchise history
By Tim Boyle
11) Best Philadelphia Phillies trade: Tug McGraw from the Mets.
This is one of those rare trades where both teams benefitted. Only the Phillies got a championship out of it so they should probably hold their fists higher in celebration.
Tug McGraw had been the closer for the New York Mets for several years. Back in those days, the ninth inning duties were often shared and relievers were asked to go more than one inning per game. McGraw excelled in the role before hitting a rough patch in New York during the 1974 campaign. The two teams ended up striking a deal with McGraw involved and the Phillies never looked back.
McGraw was an All-Star in his first Phillies season. He took on a late-inning/closer role immediately and would go on to save 94 games for the team while pitching to a 3.10 ERA. McGraw is best known in Philadelphia as the man to throw the last pitch in the 1980 World Series. A talented player on the field, he was also a nice addition to the locker room.
The trade itself brought McGraw, Don Hahn, and Dave Schneck to the Phillies. Going to the Mets were Mac Scarce, Del Unser, and the best part of the deal for them, catcher John Stearns. Stearns enjoyed several All-Star seasons for New York but never played a single postseason game for them due to the state of the franchise.