The Padres gave up a future NL MVP when they sent Kevin Mitchell to the rival San Francisco Giants on this date — July 4 — in 1987.
Mark Davis, a future NL Cy Young-winning closer, was just fine as far as consolation prizes go.
Funny thing is, both took backseats to left-hander Dave Dravecky and third baseman Chris Brown in the seven-player swap in the San Diego Union’s report.
“Who ever knows how a trade will work out, but we like it right now,” Padres President Chub Feeney told the Union. “We think we got a third baseman who can play for us the next six, seven or eight years.