Led by manager Yogi Berra, the team had an 83–73 record[1] and finished in third place in the National League East division.
The news of Berra's appointment was accompanied by the announcement that the Mets had traded outfielder Ken Singleton, infielder Tim Foli, and first baseman/outfielder Mike Jorgensen to the Montreal Expos.
[6] With Mays no longer pulling the weight of his large contract, Giants owner Horace Stoneham made him available, and Payson could not resist.
[7] The club got off to a sizzling start in 1972, playing better than .700 ball through early June and peaking at 25–7 (.781) on May 21, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates by six games.
However, a series of disabling injuries to Rusty Staub, Bud Harrelson, Jerry Grote, and Cleon Jones brought the team up short and dropped them into their third consecutive third-place finish, 13.5 games behind Pittsburgh.