The Colorado Rockies were looking to improve in their starting rotation entering the final two months of the 1995 season. They were in first place in the NL West but their rotation had an ERA of 5.04 entering the All-Star break so the need was apparent. Enter Bret Saberhagen.
Rockies general manager Bob Gebhard had Saberhagen, essentially, fall in his lap. The Mets were starting to show signs of being a bit cheap, something for which they’ve been known for since. A few days prior to trading Saberhagen, the Mets traded Bobby Bonilla to the Baltimore Orioles because the Mets were in a “firesale.