Unofficial fan projectThe Mets Powerhouse
Kevin Mitchell
Third baseman and outfielder · Mets 1984, 1986
The part fans remember
What the numbers leave out.
Mitchell was the young, switch-everything piece of the 1986 Mets. He could play almost anywhere, hit the ball hard, and seemed to appear whenever the game got strange. His single in Game 6 kept the comeback alive before his trade helped bring Kevin McReynolds to Queens.
Mitchell was the young, switch-everything piece of the 1986 Mets. He could play third base, the outfield, and almost any role Davey Johnson needed. His first brief look in 1984 did not announce a star, but his return in 1986 gave the roster another athletic player who could hit the ball hard and make a game feel unstable whenever he got involved.
His most famous Mets moment came in the tenth inning of World Series Game 6. After Gary Carter singled to keep the season alive, Mitchell came off the bench and singled too. He scored the tying run on Bob Stanley’s wild pitch, then watched Ray Knight and Mookie Wilson finish the comeback. Mitchell did not hit the final ball, but the rally needed his at-bat.
The Mets traded him to San Diego for Kevin McReynolds after the championship. Mitchell later won the 1989 MVP with San Francisco, which made the decision feel even more painful in Queens. His Mets career was short, but short does not mean small. He was a champion, a weirdly useful young player, and one of the names permanently attached to the most famous comeback in franchise history.
The honest version
The best stretch
Mitchell’s Mets peak is unusual because his best work came in a small role on a loaded team. He could play several positions, switch-hit, and take a difficult at-bat without needing regular status. In 1986 he appeared in 108 games, hit 12 home runs, and gave Davey Johnson another piece to use when matchups or injuries changed the plan.
The part that got messy
The World Series Game 6 single is the moment that made him permanent. Mitchell entered after Carter’s hit, singled through the pressure, and scored the tying run when Stanley’s pitch escaped. He was not the player who touched home plate last, but he was part of the chain that kept Boston from finishing the championship.
Why fans still care
The trade to San Diego came immediately after the title and eventually led to McReynolds, while Mitchell became an MVP in San Francisco. That contrast creates the ‘what if’ around his Mets career. Fans do not need to pretend he was a ten-year star in Queens. They only need to remember that he was a champion who mattered in the biggest game the franchise has ever played.
Signature Mets momentPinch-hit single in the tenth inning of 1986 World Series Game 6, then scored the tying run.
The short list
The stuff worth remembering.
- 011986 World Series champion
- 0212 home runs in 108 games in 1986
- 03Later won the 1989 NL MVP Award