The 1988 Topps Traded baseball card set was released late in the 1988 season as a follow up to Topps’ main flagship release earlier that year. The Traded set was the fourth in the now annual tradition of showcasing players who had been traded to new teams after the regular season started. At 132 cards, the 1988 Topps Traded set was one of the larger issues in the short history of the Traded sets at that point.
Some notable rookie cards that debuted in the 1988 Topps Traded set include Mark McGwire with the Oakland A’s after coming over from the St. Louis Cardinals, Lenny Dykstra with the Phillies after being traded from the New York Mets, and Bobby Thigpen with the White Sox after joining Chicago from the Texas Rangers. All three players would go on to have outstanding MLB careers. Thigpen in particular had one of the greatest relief pitcher seasons ever in 1990 when he recorded 57 saves to set the then all-time single season record.
One of the most significant trades depicted in the 1988 Topps Traded set was Kirk Gibson going to the Los Angeles Dodgers after 7 seasons with the Detroit Tigers. Gibson would become a Dodgers legend, hitting one of the most famous home runs in World Series history to lead LA to the 1988 World Series title over the heavily favored Oakland A’s. His walk-off shot captured on NBC’s famous call of “I don’t believe what I just saw!” is considered one of the greatest moments in MLB postseason history. Gibson’s impact on the Dodgers after coming over at the trade deadline cannot be overstated.
Some other notable veteran players featured in their new uniforms for the first time after trades in 1988 Topps Traded include Frank Viola with the Twins after coming over from the Mets, Sid Bream with the Pirates after being dealt by the Braves, and Mitch Williams with the Rangers having been traded by the Phillies. Williams’ Rangers card stands out in particular since it depicts him sporting the rare and unpopular interlocking “TR” logo cap that Texas only used for a portion of the 1988 season before reverting back to the familiar “TX” logo hat.
A major hallmark of the early Topps Traded sets was the inclusion of significant update or “retro-style” photos sometimes older than a decade to depict veteran players in the uniforms of their original teams long before a recent trade landed them elsewhere. This added a cool retro flair but also highlighted the significant time that had passed for some players with their original clubs. The 1988 edition featured several such throwback photos including Bob Welch with the Dodgers from 1977, Dave Parker with the Pirates from 1975, Doug DeCinces with the Angels from 1979, and Don Baylor with the Twins from the late 1970s.
In addition to cards of players depicted in their new uniforms post-trade, the 1988 Topps Traded release also included significant in-action and portrait style cards showcasing superstar talent even if they had not switched teams that season. This included standouts like Orel Hershiser, José Canseco, Wade Boggs, and Mike Schmidt among many others. While not directly related to late-season trades, these additional heavy hitters added tremendous star power and appeal to the set.
When issued late in 1988, the 132 card Topps Traded checklist was dispersed in factory-sealed wax packs of 5 cards each as was standard for the flagship Topps releases at the time as well. While produced in far more limited quantities that could not fulfill the massive modern-day demand, the Traded releases were an instant hit with collectors seeking late-season roster and uniform updates not found in the main flagship series. As one of the larger early Topps Traded sets produced, 1988 remains quite collectible and affordable today for fans of 1980s baseball memorabilia and enthusiasts of the Traded concepts’ seasonal recaps within the hobby.
The 1988 Topps Traded baseball card set showcased many notable players in new uniforms after that season’s major league trades as well as included significant star power from the likes of Canseco, Schmidt, and Hershiser. Rookie cards for future stars like McGwire, Dykstra, and Thigpen also made their debuts in the 132 card checklist. Landmark trades of Gibson and Viola received proper documentation, while throwback photos added retro nostalgia. As one of the larger early Topps Traded releases still obtainable today, 1988 remains a highly collectible example within the start of the impactful traded concept in the hobby.
