Fansided

Top 25 MLB trades of all time

By Joshua Sadlock

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 09: Pitcher Noah Syndergaard #34 of the New York Mets delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning of a game at Citi Field on April 9, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 09: Pitcher Noah Syndergaard #34 of the New York Mets delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning of a game at Citi Field on April 9, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – 1913: Christy Mathewson, Hall of Fame pitcher for the New York Giants, poses for a portrait in 1913 in the Polo Grounds, in New York City. (Photo Reproduction by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – 1913: Christy Mathewson, Hall of Fame pitcher for the New York Giants, poses for a portrait in 1913 in the Polo Grounds, in New York City. (Photo Reproduction by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images) /

9. Christy Mathewson to the Giants, 1900

  • Giants get: Christy Mathewson
  • Reds get: Amos Rusie

The New York Giants had their eye on Christy Mathewson dating back to his days at Bucknell University in rural Central Pennsylvania. He signed with them in 1899 at the age of 18, but was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the Rule 5 Draft in 1900. The Reds then used Mathewson as a trade chip to get future Hall of Famer Amos Rusie from the Giants.

Mathewson had burst onto the national scene in 1900 after going 18-2 with a 0.74 ERA for Norfolk in the Class-D League (don’t ask me how close or far from the big leagues that was). He made his MLB debut for the Giants at the age of 19, but went 0-3 in six games.

The Hall of Famer’s career began in earnest in 1901 when he won 20 games and threw five shutouts. That solid season was only the beginning of bigger things to come for Mathewson. He finished his 17-year career with 373 wins and led the league in ERA five times and in wins and shutouts four times.

The Giants won the World Series once with Johnson in 1905 and went three more times. In the Fall Classic, the big right-hander had a 5-5 record but a stingy 0.97 ERA. To this day, Mathewson is one of the most dominant pitchers in MLB history, regardless of era.

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