THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL December 7: Tino Martinez traded to Yankees to replace Don Mattingly

It was one of the best birthdays ever for Tino Martinez: On the day he turned 28, the Seattle Mariners traded the slugging first baseman to the Yankees, who promptly signed him to a five-year, $20.25 million contract on this day in béisbol, December 7, 1995.

He and his wife also welcomed their third child on this day.

Martinez had the unenviable task of replacing Yankees icon Don Mattingly, who retired after the 1995 season. But Martinez soon became a fan favorite in the Bronx thanks to numbers close to Donnie Baseball in his prime: 25 homers, 117 RBI and a .292 average in 1996 while playing a strong first base. He followed that up with a 44-homer, 141 RBI season in 1997.

He was the team’s top power hitter during their 1996-2001 dynasty, helping lead the Yankees to four World Championships in six years.

Martinez would finish his career in New York after two seasons in St. Louis (replacing Mark McGwire at first base) and one in his hometown of Tampa. He returned to the Bombers on a one-year contact in 2005, swatting 17 home runs in a limited role before retiring with 339 homers and 1,271 RBI.

Also on this day: The trade of Cuba-born closer Aroldis Chapman from the Reds to the Dodgers in 2015 is put on hold when it’s revealed the fireballing fireman was involved in a domestic dispute at his Miami-area home and allegedly fired a gun several times in his garage. The pitcher is soon traded to the Yankees and suspended for 30 games while in spring training, is dealt again at the trade deadline in July for Cub prospect Gleyber Torrres, then spends the next six years in New York after re-signing with the Bombers.

clare_and_ben, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Latinobaseball.com illustration