Two of the most notable names in Mets history could have been traded for each other.
According to Andy Martino of SNY, in 2004, the Mets could have traded third baseman David Wright to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for outfielder Carlos Beltran.
Former Mets general manager Jim Duquette outlined the story to Martino, explaining that the Mets were looking to improve pitching and offense, and Kansas City had Beltran available.
“We really felt like we needed pitching before anything else,” Duquette said to Martino.
But for then-Royals general manager Allard Baird to give up Beltran, he wanted Wright.
“Every time I would ask about Beltran, Allard said, ‘Well, I’ll trade you Beltran, but we want David Wright in return,” Duquette said.
At the time, Wright was a top prospect who had just made his MLB debut with the Mets.
“We were not trading David Wright at all. So, we would hang up the phone. We would call back and say, ‘Hey, any other thoughts about Beltran?’ And he would say, ‘David Wright.’”
The Mets, of course, did not trade Wright. Beltran was sent to the Houston Astros as a part of a three-team trade.
Wright became a fixture of the franchise and Beltran ended up spending a good chunk of his career in Queens regardless. He spent six years as a teammate of Wright’s and now works in the Mets’ front office.
The Mets finished the 2004 season with a 71-91 record and replaced Duquette with Omar Minaya — who signed Beltran during his free agency that winter.
