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

20. Braves acquire Fred McGriff, July 18, 1993

Some teams catch fire after making a big move at the trade deadline. In one instance, the stadium itself caught fire.

Following back-to-back World Series losses, the Atlanta Braves entered July 18 with a 52-40 record, putting the club nine games behind the San Francisco Giants in the National League West standings. That day, the Braves traded a trio of prospects, including one of their top minor leagues, Melvin Nieves, to the Padres for All-Star first baseman Fred McGriff.

Coming off a season in which he led the National League with 35 home runs – his fifth straight 30-homer campaign, as well as his fourth consecutive top 10 finish in his league’s MVP voting – McGriff joined the Braves as a .275/.361/.497 hitter with 18 home runs and 46 RBI in 83 games. He arrived in Atlanta to much fanfare.

Two days after the trade, as McGriff prepared to make his Braves debut against the St. Louis Cardinals, a suite by the press box at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium caught fire. The game was delayed for roughly two hours, but it was worth the wait for Atlanta fans.

McGriff homered in the sixth inning, and helped Atlanta overcome a 5-0 deficit to beat the Cardinals. The Braves won 11 of McGriff’s first 13 games with the team, propelling them to a huge second half and passing the Giants after posting a 104-58 record. McGriff hit .310/.392/.612 with 19 homers and 55 RBI for his new club, though the Braves fell short of a third straight NL pennant, losing to the Phillies in six games the NLCS.