MLB Trade Deadline: Top 25 midseason deals of all-time

13. Red Sox acquire Doug Mientkiewicz and Orlando Cabrera, July 31, 2004

Three-team trades are pretty rare in baseball, and four-team deals almost never occur. However, Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein helped spin such a trade at the deadline in 2004 that helped Boston end an 86-year World Series drought. He just had to trade a franchise cornerstone to do it.

Despite a 56-45 record, the Red Sox entered deadline day 7.5 games back in the American League East. And, despite five-time All-Star and two-time AL batting champion Nomar Garciaparra hitting .321/.367/.500 during the first half of the season, the Red Sox parted ways with their longtime shortstop, sending him to the Chicago Cubs in a shocking four-team deal.

Though “Nomah” was a fan favorite in Boston, the relationship between he and the front office had soured over the previous few months. The Red Sox tried and failed to acquire Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers over the winter, reportedly hurting Garciaparra’s feelings in the process. And with the 31-year-old an impending free agent, the Boston brain trust chose to get what it could for him instead of letting him walk away after the season.

The return, first baseman Doug Minetkiewicz from the Twins and shortstop Orlando Cabrera from the Expos, was intended to help solidify a shaky infield defense. Mientkiewicz was on the receiving end of the final out of Game 4 of the World Series, which clinched the title for the Red Sox. Cabrera, who hit .294/.320/.465 with six home runs and 31 RBI in 58 games in the regular season, hit .379/.424/.448 with five RBI in the ALCS against the Yankees and added four hits and three RBI against the Cardinals in the Fall Classic.