Right-handed pitcher Robert Person made his Major League debut with the Mets on September 18, 1995, and would allow only one run in 12 innings that year.

The former 25th round pick would begin the 1996 season in the Mets bullpen. After seven relief appearances, he was sent to Triple-A to work exclusively as a starter.

Mets called him back up in June and put the 26-year-old in the rotation. He posted a 3.10 ERA in five starts before the All-Star break. Out of the break, they put him back in the bullpen. He would rotate between starting and relieving all the rest of the season, posting a 4.52 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 89 2/3 innings.

That offseason, on December 20, 1996, the Mets traded Person to the Toronto Blue Jays for first baseman John Olerud and cash. The Blue Jays agreed to pay $5 million of Olerud’s $6.5 million salary for the 1997 season.

Olerud was coming off a 1996 season in which he hit .274/.382/.472 with 25 doubles, 18 home runs, 61 RBI, and posted a 2.5 WAR.

The Mets went from being a 78-win team in 1996 to an 88-win team in 1997, and Olerud was a big part of that with his .294/.400/.489 slash line. The beautiful left-handed swing produced 34 doubles, 22 home runs, and 102 RBIs. His 4.1 WAR that season was the highest he had posted since 1993. He also hit for the cycle on September 11.

Olerud was even better in the 1998 season after re-signing with the Mets, in fact he finished 12th in the National League MVP voting. Somehow only 12th considering his 7.6 WAR was third among the finalist, but this was the year of the Home Run Race between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.

His final line in 1998: .354/.447/.551, 36 2B, 4 3B, 22 HR, 93 RBI, 167 wRC+ (3rd in majors), 96 BB, 73 K

The 167 wRC+ is the highest by a Mets hitter in a single season and his 8.1 fWAR ranks as the second most productive position player season behind only David Wright‘s 2007 (8.4). It’s only one of two seasons in Mets history (Edgardo Alfonzo‘s 2000 being the other) in which a player posted at least .400 OBP, .500 SLG, and struck out less than 100 times.

Beyond the incredible offensive season, Olerud also was the best defensive first baseman in the NL with 15 total zone runs above average.

The Mets won 88 games in 1998, but that was only good enough for second place and no playoff appearance.

Mets broke through in 1999 with 95 wins, good enough for a playoff spot and Olerud played a key role. His 5.6 WAR that season ranked third on the team, behind Robin Ventura‘s 6.7 and Edgardo Alfonzo’s 6.0.

Olerud hit .298/.427/.463 with 39 doubles, 19 home runs, and 96 RBIs in 1999. He also walked a career-high 125 times compared to 96 strikeouts.

The Mets would lose to the Braves in the NLCS (really Kenny Rogers?), but Olerud hit .349/.417/.588 with three home runs in the playoffs that year.

That offseason Olerud became a free agent and would sign with the Seattle Mariners. It was a return home for the Seattle native.

Final line for Olerud’s Mets career: .315/.425/.501, 142 OPS+, 146 wRC+

The .425 OBP and 146 wRC+ still rank as the best in Mets team history. His 18.3 fWAR ranks 10th among Mets position players. Olerud is the only Mets player in team history with three seasons of posting an on-base percentage of at least .400 and the only player in team history to have back-to-back seasons of at least .400 OBP.

Person finished his Blue Jays career with a 6.18 ERA and 1.55 WHIP over parts of three seasons.

Unfortunately, it was for only three seasons, but Mets fans had the opportunity to watch one of the sweetest left-handed swings and arguably the best defensive first baseman of the generation.

On December 20, 1996, Mets’ GM Joe McIlvaine made one of the best trades (and severely underrated) in franchise history.