(Updated Nov. 1, 2025)
Unwilling to bend on principle, Cardinals general manager Dal Maxvill reluctantly traded a slugger he wanted to keep. In a stroke of good fortune, he got in exchange a closer who would rank among the franchise’s all-time best.
On May 4, 1990, the Cardinals acquired Lee Smith from the Red Sox for outfielder Tom Brunansky.
It was one of Maxvill’s best trades during his tenure (1985-94) as Cardinals general manager. On Dec. 9, 2018, Smith was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
The deal came about after Brunansky demanded a no-trade clause in exchange for waiving free agency and staying with St. Louis. “I haven’t been looking to trade him,” Maxvill told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “We wanted to keep Brunansky.”
Seeking security
The Cardinals had acquired Brunansky from the Twins for second baseman Tommy Herr on April 22, 1988, six months after Minnesota had prevailed in a seven-game World Series with St. Louis.
Early in the 1990 season, the Cardinals approached Brunansky about a three-year contract. Eligible to become a free agent after the 1990 season, Brunansky wanted a no-trade provision in any new contract. “We don’t have those in St. Louis,” Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog said.
Brunansky explained “my wife and I wanted to settle down and buy a house here,” but couldn’t commit to that without the no-trade clause, the Post-Dispatch reported. “For me to stay here, I would need some kind of security,” Brunansky said. “I wasn’t going to sign here for three years, buy a house and everything and keep hearing trade rumors … It was a big issue for me and, of course, it was a big issue for the ballclub.”
Motivated to act
The Red Sox were eager to deal because they needed a right fielder to replace Dwight Evans, who was restricted to designated hitter duties because of back problems. The Cardinals needed an established closer to replace Todd Worrell, who was recuperating from elbow surgery.
Herzog said to the Post-Dispatch, “We felt if we waited any longer, (Smith) wouldn’t be there.”
Smith became available when the Red Sox signed another closer, Jeff Reardon.
The Cardinals also had talked with the White Sox about closer Bobby Thigpen, according to the Post-Dispatch. The Red Sox, though, were motivated to act.
“They called us. It’s as simple as that,” Red Sox manager Joe Morgan said to the Worcester (Mass.) Telegram and Gazette. “Nobody would give us the kind of pitcher we wanted, so we went with the right-handed power.”
According to the Boston Globe, the Red Sox turned down a two-for-one swap with the Braves involving pitcher Tommy Greene and third baseman Jim Presley for Smith. “We offered them a heck of a deal.” Braves general manager Bobby Cox said to The Sporting News.
Reunited with Roarke
Brunansky hit 43 home runs in three years with the Cardinals, but only 11 at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. “He’ll hit homers in Fenway (Park),” said Red Sox catcher Tony Pena, a former Cardinal.
Smith posted a 2-1 record with four saves, a 1.88 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 14.1 innings for the 1990 Red Sox. In joining the Cardinals, he was reunited with coach Mike Roarke, who had been his coach as a rookie with the 1980 Cubs.
Smith welcomed the chance to be the Cardinals’ closer. With Reardon the primary closer in Boston, Smith said he “sort of felt like the odd man out” there.
“I’m going to get an opportunity to pitch in the situation that I’m used to,” Smith said to Boston reporters. “I’m really pleased.”
Smith earned his first save for the Cardinals on May 11, 1990, pitching a flawless ninth inning in relief of Bryn Smith in St. Louis’ 5-2 victory over the Braves. Boxscore Smith posted 27 saves and a 2.10 ERA for the 1990 Cardinals.
Brunansky played four years with the Red Sox and hit 56 home runs.
Smith played four years with the Cardinals and earned 160 saves. Only Jason Isringhausen (217) has more saves as a Cardinal.
Smith was the first Cardinal to record 40 saves in consecutive seasons. He twice had back-to-back 40-save seasons: 1991-1992 and 1992-1993. He had 47 saves in 1991, 43 in 1992 and 43 again in 1993.
In 1993, less than two hours before the Sept. 1 trade deadline, the Cardinals dealt Smith to the Yankees for pitcher Rich Batchelor, clearing the way to test Mike Perez as the closer the rest of the season. The trade “took me off the hook” from having to inform Smith he was being removed from the closer role, said Joe Torre, who’d replaced Herzog as Cardinals manager.
RetroSimba 
What Lee Smith accomplished during his time in St.Louis is already impressive in and of itself. However it takes on more luster considering the fact that the 1990 Cardinals were a bad team and the Joe Torre Cardinals were mediocre at best. Perhaps the stat that says it all is the Cardinals record of 200 wins and only 44 losses in games where Lee Smith made an appearance.
Good points, Phillip. Contributing to 200 wins in four seasons is quite a feat.
As a Cardinal, Lee Smith totaled 160 saves in 186 opportunities.
According to a 1991 St. Louis Post-Dispatch report, Cardinals players fondly called him “Big Brother.” As reliever Cris Carpenter noted, “He’s always talking about his teammates and putting the team first. You pull for a guy like that.”