2003 New York Mets season

The 2003 New York Mets season was the 42nd regular season for the Mets. They went 66–95 and finished fifth in the National League East, thirty-four and a half games behind the first place Atlanta Braves. This was the first season under full ownership of Fred Wilpon, who decided in the offseason to replace Bobby Valentine with Art Howe as manager; previously, Howe had managed the Oakland Athletics for the past seven seasons. The Mets played home games at Shea Stadium. The Mets would not finish last in the NL East again until 2026.

Offseason November 25, 2002: Jorge Velandia was signed as a free agent with the New York Mets. December 5, 2002: Tom Glavine was signed as a free agent with the New York Mets. December 19, 2002: Mike Stanton was signed as a free agent with the New York Mets.Mike Stanton Statistics Baseball-Reference.com January 11, 2003: Tsuyoshi Shinjo was signed as a free agent with the New York Mets. February 11, 2003: Jay Bell signed as a free agent with the New York Mets.Jay Bell Statistics Baseball-Reference.com February 13, 2003: David Cone signed as a free agent with the New York Mets.David Cone Statistics Baseball-Reference.com

Regular season After their disappointing 2002 season the Mets entered 2003 hoping to contend for a playoff spot. But the season ended up being a massive disappointment as they were defeated by the Cubs at home 15–2 on opening day and finished just 66–95.

Opening Day starters Roberto Alomar Jeromy Burnitz Roger Cedeño Cliff Floyd Tom Glavine Mike Piazza Rey Sánchez Mo Vaughn Ty Wigginton

Detailed record Team Home Away Total Win % NL East Atlanta Braves 5–4 3–7 8–11 Florida Marlins 3–6 4–6 7–12 Montreal Expos 4–6 1–8 5–14 Philadelphia Phillies 3–7 4–5 7–12 Total 15–23 12–26 27–49 NL Central Chicago Cubs 1–2 0–3 1–5 Cincinnati Reds 1–2 3–0 4–2 Houston Astros 2–1 2–1 4–2 Milwaukee Brewers 1–5 2–1 3–6 Pittsburgh Pirates 2–1 2–1 4–2 St. Louis Cardinals 1–2 0–3 1–5 Total 8–13 9–9 17–22 NL West Arizona Diamondbacks 1–2 1–2 2–4 Colorado Rockies 4–0 1–2 5–2 Los Angeles Dodgers 1–2 2–1 3–3 San Diego Padres 2–1 1–2 3–3 San Francisco Giants 2–0 2–2 4–2 Total 10–5 7–9 17–14 American League Anaheim Angels — 2–1 2–1 New York Yankees 0–3 0–3 0–6 Seattle Mariners 1–2 — 1–2 Texas Rangers — 2–1 2–1 Total 1–5 4–5 5–10 MonthGamesWonLostWin % March 1 0 1 April 26 11 15 May 28 14 14 June 26 10 16 July 27 9 18 August 27 15 12 September 26 7 19 Total 161 66 95 GamesWonLostWin % Home 80 34 46 Away 81 32 49

Season standings

National League East

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions July 1, 2003: Roberto Alomar was traded by the New York Mets with cash to the Chicago White Sox for Edwin Almonte, Royce Ring, and Andrew Salvo. July 16, 2003: Armando Benítez was traded by the New York Mets to the New York Yankees for Ryan Bicondoa, Jason Anderson and Anderson Garcia. July 29, 2003: Kenny Kelly was traded by the Seattle Mariners to the New York Mets for Rey Sánchez and cash.Kenny Kelly Statistics Baseball-Reference.com

Game log

Regular season LegendMets WinMets LossGame PostponedBold = Mets team member

|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 1 || March 31 || Cubs || 2–15 || Wood (1–0) || Glavine (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 53,586 || 0–1 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 2 || April 2 || Cubs || 4–1 || Leiter (1–0) || Clement (0–1) || Benitez (1) || Shea Stadium || 20,594 || 1–1 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 3 || April 3 || Cubs || 3–6 || Prior (1–0) || Trachsel (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 17,244 || 1–2 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 4 || April 4 || Expos || 4–0 || Cone (1–0) || Ohka (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 18,040 || 2–2 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 5 || April 5 || Expos || 3–1 || Glavine (1–1) || Armas (1–1) || Benitez (2) || Shea Stadium || 36,817 || 3–2 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 6 || April 6 || Expos || 5–8 || Stewart (1–0) || Benitez (0–1) || Biddle (2) || Shea Stadium || 35,093 || 3–3 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 7 || April 8 || @ Marlins || 4–2 || Leiter (2–0) || Redman (1–1) || Benitez (3) || Pro Player Stadium || 10,103 || 4–3 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 8 || April 9 || @ Marlins || 2–3 || Looper (1–0) || Stanton (0–1) || — || Pro Player Stadium || 10,052 || 4–4 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 9 || April 10 || @ Marlins || 3–4 || Spooneybarger (1–0) || Benitez (0–2) || — || Pro Player Stadium || 10,267 || 4–5 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 10 || April 11 || @ Expos* || 0–10 || Ohka (1–1) || Cone (1–1) || — || Hiram Bithorn Stadium || 17,906 || 4–6 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 11 || April 12 || @ Expos* || 4–5 || Hernandez (1–0) || Seo (0–1) || Biddle (3) || Hiram Bithorn Stadium || 18,264 || 4–7 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 12 || April 13 || @ Expos* || 1–2 || Biddle (1–0) || Stanton (0–2) || — || Hiram Bithorn Stadium || 16,332 || 4–8 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 13 || April 14 || @ Expos* || 3–5 || Smith (1–0) || Strickland (0–1) || Biddle (4) || Hiram Bithorn Stadium || 13,155 || 4–9 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 14 || April 15 || @ Pirates || 3–1 || Glavine (2–1) || Fogg (1–2) || Benitez (4) || PNC Park || 14,728 || 5–9 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 15 || April 16 || @ Pirates || 3–6 || Suppan (3–0) || Cone (1–2) || — || PNC Park || 12,609 || 5–10 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 16 || April 17 || @ Pirates || 7–2 || Seo (1–1) || D'Amico (1–2) || — || PNC Park || 11,299 || 6–10 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 17 || April 18 || Marlins || 6–3 || Weathers (1–0) || Nunez (0–2) || Benitez (5) || Shea Stadium || 18,525 || 7–10 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 18 || April 19 || Marlins || 5–6 || Looper (2–0) || Benitez (0–3) || — || Shea Stadium || 36,448 || 7–11 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 19 || April 20 || Marlins || 7–4 || Glavine (3–1) || Nunez (0–3) || — || Shea Stadium || 26,245 || 8–11 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 20 || April 22 || Astros || 2–6 || Redding (1–2) || Cone (1–3) || — || Shea Stadium || 31,733 || 8–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 21 || April 23 || Astros || 4–2 || Leiter (3–0) || Oswalt (2–2) || Benitez (6) || Shea Stadium || 20,322 || 9–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 22 || April 24 || Astros || 7–4 || Astacio (1–0) || Miller (0–2) || Benitez (7) || Shea Stadium || 31,656 || 10–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 23 || April 25 || Diamondbacks || 4–3 || Stanton (1–2) || Villarreal (1–1) || Benitez (8) || Shea Stadium || 24,725 || 11–12 |- bgcolor="cccccc" | – || April 26 || Diamondbacks || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for April 27 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 24 || April 27 || Diamondbacks || 1–6 || Webb (1–0) || Glavine (3–2) || — || Shea Stadium || N/A || 11–13 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 25 || April 27 || Diamondbacks || 3–7 || Johnson (1–2) || Seo (1–2) || Mantei (3) || Shea Stadium || 36,491 || 11–14 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 26 || April 29 || @ Cardinals || 3–13 || Morris (2–2) || Leiter (3–1) || — || Busch Stadium || 30,275 || 11–15 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 27 || April 30 || @ Cardinals || 4–13 || Williams (4–0) || Astacio (1–1) || — || Busch Stadium || 30,265 || 11–16 |- |colspan="11"|*Games the Montreal Expos played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, during the 2003 season counted as Expos home games.

|- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 28 || May 1 || @ Cardinals || 5–6 || Eldred (2–0) || Strickland (0–2) || — || Busch Stadium || 35,283 || 11–17 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 29 || May 2 || @ Brewers || 9–3 || Glavine (4–2) || Rusch (1–5) || — || Miller Park || 16,315 || 12–17 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 30 || May 3 || @ Brewers || 2–3 || Foster (2–0) || Weathers (1–1) || DeJean (5) || Miller Park || 19,796 || 12–18 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 31 || May 4 || @ Brewers || 5–3 || Leiter (4–1) || Kinney (2–2) || Benitez (9) || Miller Park || 18,571 || 13–18 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 32 || May 6 || Dodgers || 3–2 || Astacio (2–1) || Perez (1–2) || Benitez (10) || Shea Stadium || 21,173 || 14–18 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 33 || May 7 || Dodgers || 1–2 || Nomo (4–4) || Trachsel (0–2) || Gagne (11) || Shea Stadium || 18,965 || 14–19 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 34 || May 8 || Dodgers || 1–6 || Ishii (3–1) || Glavine (4–3) || — || Shea Stadium || 18,729 || 14–20 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 35 || May 9 || Padres || 4–5 || Hackman (1–0) || Weathers (1–2) || Orosco (2) || Shea Stadium || 29,855 || 14–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 36 || May 10 || Padres || 4–2 || Stanton (2–2) || Wright (1–5) || — || Shea Stadium || 32,930 || 15–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 37 || May 11 || Padres || 3–2 || Lloyd (1–0) || Matthews (1–1) || Benitez (11) || Shea Stadium || 30,694 || 16–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 38 || May 12 || @ Rockies || 9–6 || Trachsel (1–2) || Young (0–1) || Benitez (12) || Coors Field || 25,433 || 17–21 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 39 || May 13 || @ Rockies || 8–9 || Reed (3–1) || Cerda (0–1) || Jimenez (9) || Coors Field || 25,043 || 17–22 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 40 || May 14 || @ Rockies || 5–6 || Reed (4–1) || Stanton (2–3) || Jimenez (10) || Coors Field || 26,755 || 17–23 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 41 || May 15 || @ Giants || 3–11 || Rueter (4–1) || Leiter (4–2) || — || Pacific Bell Park || 36,542 || 17–24 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 42 || May 16 || @ Giants || 5–7 || Nathan (5–1) || Weathers (1–3) || Worrell (12) || Pacific Bell Park || 39,160 || 17–25 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 43 || May 17 || @ Giants || 5–1 || Trachsel (2–2) || Moss (5–2) || — || Pacific Bell Park || 42,259 || 18–25 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 44 || May 18 || @ Giants || 5–1 || Glavine (5–3) || Ainsworth (3–4) || — || SBC Park || 42,590 || 19–25 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 45 || May 20 || Phillies || 7–11 || Myers (4–3) || Lloyd (1–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 25,281 || 19–26 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 46 || May 21 || Phillies || 5–4 || Benitez (1–3) || Adams (0–2) || — || Shea Stadium || 29,551 || 20–26 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 47 || May 22 || Phillies || 6–3 || Astacio (3–1) || Padilla (3–6) || Benitez (13) || Shea Stadium || 20,101 || 21–26 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 48 || May 23 || @ Braves || 6–5 || Trachsel (3–2) || Ortiz (6–3) || Benitez (14) || Turner Field || 33,270 || 22–26 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 49 || May 24 || @ Braves || 4–10 || Ramirez (4–2) || Glavine (5–4) || — || Turner Field || 40,912 || 22–27 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 50 || May 25 || @ Braves || 1–3 || Hernandez (4–1) || Weathers (1–4) || Smoltz (19) || Turner Field || 41,432 || 22–28 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 51 || May 27 || @ Phillies || 4–2 || Leiter (5–2) || Wolf (5–3) || Benitez (15) || Veterans Stadium || 18,081 || 23–28 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 52 || May 28 || @ Phillies || 3–11 || Padilla (4–6) || Astacio (3–2) || — || Veterans Stadium || 21,389 || 23–29 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 53 || May 29 || @ Phillies || 5–0 || Trachsel (4–2) || Millwood (7–2) || — || Veterans Stadium || 19,568 || 24–29 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 54 || May 30 || Braves || 2–5 || Maddux (4–5) || Glavine (5–5) || Smoltz (20) || Shea Stadium || 26,439 || 24–30 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 55 || May 31 || Braves || 4–2 || Seo (2–2) || Hampton (2–3) ||Benitez (16) || Shea Stadium || 33,378 || 25–30

|- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 56 || June 1 || Braves || 10–4 || Leiter (6–2) || Gryboski (3–3) || — || Shea Stadium || 25,162 || 26–30 |- bgcolor="#cccccc" | – || June 3 || Brewers || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for June 5 |- bgcolor="#cccccc" | – || June 4 || Brewers || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for July 28 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 57 || June 5 || Brewers || 7–8 || Kinney (4–4) || Trachsel (4–3) || DeJean (13) || Shea Stadium || N/A || 26–31 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 58 || June 5 || Brewers || 3–5 || Sheets (6–4) || Glavine (5–6) || DeJean (14) || Shea Stadium || 19,048 || 26–32 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 59 || June 6 || Mariners || 3–2 || Seo (3–2) || Franklyn (4–4) || Benitez (17) || Shea Stadium || 26,684 || 27–32 |- bgcolor="#ccc" | – || June 7 || Mariners || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for June 8 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 60 || June 8 || Mariners || 1–13 || Garcia (6–6) || Leiter (6–3) || — || Shea Stadium || N/A || 27–33 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 61 || June 8 || Mariners || 0–7 || Moyer (10–2) || Bacsik (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 39,820 || 27–34 |- bgcolor="ffcccc" | 62 || June 10 || @ Rangers || 7–9 || Thomson (4–7) || Trachsel (4–4) || Urbina (18) || The Ballpark in Arlington || 20,581 || 27–35 |- bgcolor="ccffcc"