The Phillies Trade Ryne Sandberg to the Cubs

On January 27, 1982, the Philadelphia Phillies traded shortstop Larry Bowa and a minor league infielder named Ryne Sandberg to the Chicago Cubs for shortstop Ivan DeJesus. At the time, Bowa was the centerpiece of the deal, a five-time All-Star and the kind of veteran presence the Cubs wanted. Sandberg, 22, was an afterthought, a utility player the Phillies did not see fitting into their future.

It became one of the most lopsided trades in baseball history.

Sandberg moved to second base in Chicago and developed into the best player at the position in his era. In 1984, he won the NL MVP award, hitting .314 with 19 home runs, 84 RBI, and 32 stolen bases while leading the Cubs to the postseason for the first time since 1945. His performance in a nationally televised June game against the Cardinals that year, in which he hit two home runs off closer Bruce Sutter in the ninth and tenth innings, turned him into a household name.

From 1984 through 1993, Sandberg was an All-Star every season. He won nine consecutive Gold Gloves at second base and seven Silver Slugger awards. He finished with 282 career home runs and a .285 batting average, redefining the offensive expectations for middle infielders. He entered the Hall of Fame in 2005.

Bowa played three solid seasons in Chicago before retiring. DeJesus batted .254 in two years with the Phillies and was out of baseball by 1985. Dallas Green, the Cubs' general manager who engineered the deal, had managed Sandberg in the Phillies' minor league system and knew exactly what he was acquiring.