In December 1984, Gary Carter joined the Mets through a major trade with the Montreal Expos, which sent Hubie Brooks, Mike Fitzgerald, Herm Winningham, and Floyd Youmans to Canada. The Mets, an ascending team, lacked an experienced veteran behind the plate, and "The Kid”, considered the best catcher in baseball, came to New York to bring immediate championship experience.
Carter wasted no time, delivering an impressive debut in 1985 by matching his career high with 32 home runs and 100 RBIs, earning a sixth-place spot in the NL MVP voting. He built on this momentum in 1986 with a remarkable season, hitting 24 home runs and accumulating 105 RBIs, while also providing exceptional defensive intelligence that stabilized the pitching staff. His consistent ability to bat in the middle of the order earned him a well-deserved third-place finish in the MVP race, solidifying his status as one of the league's top catchers.
Beyond his basic stats, Carter became a legendary figure in New York through his pivotal moments in the 1986 postseason. He hit a walk-off single in Game 5 of the NLCS against Houston, hit two home runs in Game 4 of the World Series, and famously sparked the crucial two-out rally in the 10th inning of Game 6 with a clutch single to left field. Although he was selected as an All-Star four years in a row from 1985 to 1988 as a Met, his physical performance declined sharply during his last two years, as the demanding nature of catching heavily impacted his knees. He was released after the 1989 season.
While the rank of Carter might seem low, realistically, he was only good for the first half of his half-decade run
The Mets honored Carter with a franchise Hall of Fame induction in 2001, and he was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
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