Chicago sends outfielders Joe Carter and Mel Hall and a minor leaguer to Cleveland for pitchers Rick Sutcliffe and George Frazier and catcher Ron Hassey

On June 13, 1984, the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians engineer a blockbuster trade. Chicago sends outfielders Joe Carter, Mel Hall and Don Schulz a minor leaguer Darryl Banks to Cleveland for pitchers Rick Sutcliffe and George Frazier and catcher Ron Hassey.

“The Red Baron” was 4-5 with the Indians, but caught fire with the Cubs. He went 16-1 the rest of the way, with a 2.69 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 155 strikeouts in 150.1 innings. Leading the team to the NL East flag. He was the unanimous choice for the NL Cy Young Award and took the victory in Game 1 of the NLCS and hit a home run during the contest.

Obviously, Carter would go on to have a decorated career, but he never went to an All-Star Game as a member of the Indians (1984-1989, though he did lead the AL in RBI in 1986.

Suttcliffe will remain a Cub for 8 seasons and win 82 games for the Cubbies including 18 in the shortened 1987 season to lead the National League. He would be the runner up to Steve Bedrosian, in what was truly not a pitcher’s year.

The BIG LEAD, will call this one of the 10 greatest deadline trades in baseball history.