The 2002 New York Mets season was the 41st regular season for the Mets. Hoping to improve on their third place finish in the National League East the previous year, a 6–21 August sunk the team into below .500 for good and ultimately they finished 75–86 and finished fifth in the National League East. They were managed by Bobby Valentine in his seventh and ultimately final season. They played home games at Shea Stadium.
Offseason October 22, 2001: Jorge Velandia was signed as a free agent with the New York Mets. December 7, 2001: David Justice was traded by the New York Yankees to the New York Mets for Robin Ventura. December 11, 2001: Roberto Alomar was traded by the Cleveland Indians with Danny Peoples (minors) and Mike Bacsik to the New York Mets for players to be named later, Matt Lawton, Alex Escobar, and Jerrod Riggan. The New York Mets sent Earl Snyder (December 13, 2001) and Billy Traber (December 13, 2001) to the Cleveland Indians to complete the trade. December 13, 2001: Dave Weathers was signed as a free agent with the New York Mets. December 14, 2001: David Justice was traded by the New York Mets to the Oakland Athletics for Mark Guthrie and Tyler Yates. December 16, 2001: Tsuyoshi Shinjo was traded by the New York Mets with Desi Relaford to the San Francisco Giants for Shawn Estes. January 21, 2002: Alex Ochoa was traded as part of a 3-team trade by the Colorado Rockies to the Milwaukee Brewers. The New York Mets sent Lenny Harris and Glendon Rusch to the Milwaukee Brewers. The New York Mets sent Benny Agbayani, Todd Zeile, and cash to the Colorado Rockies. The Colorado Rockies sent Craig House and Ross Gload to the New York Mets. The Milwaukee Brewers sent Jeff D'Amico, Jeromy Burnitz, Lou Collier, Mark Sweeney, and cash to the New York Mets. March 13, 2002: Mark Sweeney was released by the New York Mets. March 24, 2002: Jason Bay was traded by the Montreal Expos with Jimmy Serrano to the New York Mets for Lou Collier.Jason Bay Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
Regular season
Opening Day starters Edgardo Alfonzo Roberto Alomar Jeromy Burnitz Roger Cedeño Al Leiter Rey Ordóñez Jay Payton Mike Piazza Mo Vaughn
Season standings
National League East
Record vs. opponents
Notable transactions April 5, 2002: Marco Scutaro was selected off waivers by the New York Mets from the Milwaukee Brewers.Marco Scutaro Statistics Baseball-Reference.com June 4, 2002: Scott Kazmir was drafted by the New York Mets in the 1st round (15th pick) of the 2002 amateur draft. Player signed August 2, 2002.Scott Kazmir Statistics Baseball-Reference.com July 31, 2002: Jason Bay was traded by the New York Mets with Josh Reynolds (minors) and Bobby Jones to the San Diego Padres for Steve Reed and Jason Middlebrook.
Game log LegendMets WinMets LossGame PostponedBold = Mets team member
|- bgcolor="#cfc" | 1 || April 1 || Pirates || 6–2 || Leiter (1–0) || Villone (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 53,734 || 1–0 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 2 || April 3 || Pirates || 3–5 || Wells (1–0) || Trachsel (0–1) || Williams (1) || Shea Stadium || 25,952 || 1–1 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 3 || April 4 || Pirates || 2–3 || Anderson (1–0) || Estes (0–1) || Williams (2) || Shea Stadium || 33,785 || 1–2 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 4 || April 5 || @ Braves || 9–3 || Astacio (1–0) || Lopez (0–1) || — || Turner Field || 35,347 || 2–2 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 5 || April 6 || @ Braves || 11–2 || Weathers (1–0) || Smoltz (0–1) || — || Turner Field || 41,124 || 3–2 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 6 || April 7 || @ Braves || 2–5 || Lopez (1–1) || Komiyama (0–1) || — || Turner Field || 34,210 || 3–3 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 7 || April 9 || @ Cubs || 0–2 || Lieber (1–0) || Trachsel (0–2) || Alfonseca (1) || Wrigley Field || 18,151 || 3–4 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 8 || April 10 || @ Cubs || 3–2 || Weathers (2–0) || Fassero (0–2) || Benitez (1) || Wrigley Field || 22,471 || 4–4 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 9 || April 11 || @ Cubs || 3–2 || Astacio (2–0) || Cruz (0–2) || Benitez (2) || Wrigley Field || 29,496 || 5–4 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 10 || April 12 || Expos || 2–1 || D'Amico (1–0) || Ohka (1–1) || Benitez (3) || Shea Stadium || 32,624 || 6–4 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 11 || April 13 || Expos || 8–9 || Herges (2–0) || Strickland (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 46,991 || 6–5 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 12 || April 14 || Expos || 6–4 || Trachsel (1–2) || Armas (1–2) || Benitez (4) || Shea Stadium || 45,646 || 7–5 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 13 || April 15 || Braves || 7–6 || Strickland (1–1) || Hammond (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 28,843 || 8–5 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 14 || April 16 || Braves || 3–1 || Astacio (3–0) || Glavine (2–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 31,472 || 9–5 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 15 || April 17 || Braves || 1–2 || Millwood (2–1) || D'Amico (1–1) || Smoltz (3) || Shea Stadium || 30,702 || 9–6 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 16 || April 18 || @ Expos || 1–0 || Leiter (2–0) || Vazquez (0–1) || — || Olympic Stadium || 4,512 || 10–6 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 17 || April 19 || @ Expos || 3–5 || Armas (2–2) || Trachsel (1–3) || Herges (1) || Olympic Stadium || 8,281 || 10–7 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 18 || April 20 || @ Expos || 5–7 || Pavano (2–2) || Estes (0–2) || Herges (2) || Olympic Stadium || 11,464 || 10–8 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 19 || April 21 || @ Expos || 3–6 || Chen (2–0) || Astacio (3–1) || Lloyd (3) || Olympic Stadium || 11,672 || 10–9 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 20 || April 23 || Cardinals || 4–3 || D'Amico (2–1) || Morris (4–1) || Benitez (5) || Shea Stadium || 33,333 || 11–9 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 21 || April 24 || Cardinals || 2–4 || Kile (1–0) || Leiter (2–1) || Isringhausen (3) || Shea Stadium || 22,938 || 11–10 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 22 || April 25 || Cardinals || 7–6 || Strickland (2–1) || Veres (2–2) || Benitez (6) || Shea Stadium || 24,637 || 12–10 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 23 || April 26 || Brewers || 1–0 || Estes (1–2) || Rusch (1–2) || — || Shea Stadium || 37,957 || 13–10 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 24 || April 27 || Brewers || 2–1 || Astacio (4–1) || Neugebauer (1–3) || Benitez (7) || Shea Stadium || 35,105 || 14–10 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 25 || April 28 || Brewers || 9–6 || Davis (1–0) || King (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 43,169 || 15–10 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 26 || April 30 || @ Diamondbacks || 10–1 || Leiter (3–1) || Helling (3–3) || — || Bank One Ballpark || 36,743 || 16–10
|- bgcolor="#cfc" | 27 || May 1 || @ Diamondbacks || 7–1 || Trachsel (2–3) || Stottlemyre (0–2) || — || Bank One Ballpark || 34,210 || 17–10 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 28 || May 2 || @ Diamondbacks || 3–7 || Batista (2–1) || Estes (1–3) || Kim (6) || Bank One Ballpark || 31,466 || 17–11 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 29 || May 3 || @ Astros || 11–3 || Astacio (5–1) || Mlicki (3–3) || — || Astros Field || 31,329 || 18–11 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 30 || May 4 || @ Astros || 1–3 || Hernandez (3–0) || D'Amico (2–2) || Wagner (4) || Astros Field || 34,807 || 18–12 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 31 || May 5 || @ Astros || 1–12 || Oswalt (4–1) || Leiter (3–2) || — || Astros Field || 36,083 || 18–13 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 32 || May 7 || Giants || 1–5 || Ortiz (3–1) || Trachsel (2–4) || — || Shea Stadium || 40,016 || 18–14 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 33 || May 8 || Giants || 2–8 || Rueter (5–1) || Estes (1–4) || — || Shea Stadium || 29,267 || 18–15 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 34 || May 9 || Giants || 3–4 || Jensen (3–2) || Astacio (5–2) || Nen (10) || Shea Stadium || 28,757 || 18–16 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 35 || May 10 || Rockies || 5–9 || Jennings (3–2) || D'Amico (2–3) || — || Shea Stadium || 37,484 || 18–17 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 36 || May 11 || Rockies || 4–3 || Leiter (4–2) || Hampton (1–5) || Strickland (1) || Shea Stadium || 41,605 || 19–17 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 37 || May 12 || Rockies || 3–4 || White (1–4) || Davis (1–1) || Jimenez (9) || Shea Stadium || 33,578 || 19–18 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 38 || May 13 || @ Dodgers || 2–3 || Carrara (3–1) || Corey (0–1) || — || Dodger Stadium || 27,659 || 19–19 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 39 || May 14 || @ Dodgers || 3–0 || Astacio (6–2) || Ashby (2–4) || — || Dodger Stadium || 28,610 || 20–19 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 40 || May 15 || @ Dodgers || 2–0 || D'Amico (3–3) || Ishii (6–1) || — || Dodger Stadium || 31,995 || 21–19 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 41 || May 16 || @ Padres || 3–1 || Leiter (5–2) || Lawrence (4–3) || Guthrie (1) || Qualcomm Stadium || 15,931 || 22–19 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 42 || May 17 || @ Padres || 13–4 || Trachsel (3–4) || Middlebrook (0–1) || — || Qualcomm Stadium || 28,162 || 23–19 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 43 || May 18 || @ Padres || 5–2 || Estes (2–4) || Tomko (3–3) || Benitez (8) || Qualcomm Stadium || 43,282 || 24–19 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 44 || May 19 || @ Padres || 3–4 || Reed (1–1) || Strickland (2–2) || — || Qualcomm Stadium || 26,254 || 24–20 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 45 || May 21 || @ Phillies || 0–4 || Padilla (6–3) || D'Amico (3–4) || — || Veterans Stadium || 21,090 || 24–21 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 46 || May 22 || @ Phillies || 2–5 || Adams (2–3) || Leiter (5–3) || Mesa (14) || Veterans Stadium || 22,640 || 24–22 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 47 || May 23 || @ Phillies || 1–0 || Strickland (3–2) || Mesa (1–4) || Benitez (9) || Veterans Stadium || 26,405 || 25–22 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 48 || May 24 || Marlins || 5–4 || Strickland (4–2) || Darensbourg (1–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 37,699 || 26–22 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 49 || May 25 || Marlins || 5–6 || Almanza (1–0) || Weathers (2–1) || Nunez (11) || Shea Stadium || 35,724 || 26–23 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 50 || May 26 || Marlins || 3–0 || D'Amico (4–4) || Burnett (5–5) || Strickland (2) || Shea Stadium || 38,781 || 27–23 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 51 || May 27 || Marlins || 3–5 || Dempster (3–5) || Leiter (5–4) || Nunez (12) || Shea Stadium || 24,319 || 27–24 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 52 || May 28 || Phillies || 3–5 || Cormier (2–4) || Trachsel (3–5) || Mesa (15) || Shea Stadium || 25,939 || 27–25 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 53 || May 29 || Phillies || 4–3 || Strickland (5–2) || Santiago (1–3) || Benitez (10) || Shea Stadium || 37,417 || 28–25 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 54 || May 31 || @ Marlins || 6–5 || Roberts (1–0) || Nunez (4–2) || Benitez (11) || Pro Player Stadium || 18,177 || 29–25
|- bgcolor="#fcc" | 55 || June 1 || @ Marlins || 7–9 || Mairena (2–0) || Komiyama (0–2) || Nunez (13) || Pro Player Stadium || 33,291 || 29–26 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 56 || June 2 || @ Marlins || 3–7 || Tavarez (3–3) || Leiter (5–5) || Nunez (14) || Pro Player Stadium || 19,405 || 29–27 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 57 || June 3 || @ Braves || 4–5 || Hammond (2–2) || Trachsel (3–6) || Smoltz (15) || Turner Field || 31,704 || 29–28 |- bgcolor="#ccc" | – || June 4 || @ Braves || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for September 11 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 58 || June 5 || @ Braves || 4–6 || Hammond (3–2) || Strickland (5–3) || Smoltz (16) || Turner Field || 30,986 || 29–29 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 59 || June 6 || @ Braves || 2–3 || Glavine (10–2) || Weathers (2–2) || Smoltz (17) || Turner Field || 41,286 || 29–30 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 60 || June 7 || @ Indians || 4–3 || Leiter (6–5) || Baez (5–5) || Benitez (12) || Jacobs Field || 39,986 || 30–30 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 61 || June 8 || @ Indians || 8–6 || Trachsel (4–6) || Finley (4–7) || Benitez (13) || Jacobs Field || 41,474 || 31–30 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 62 || June 9 || @ Indians || 3–8 || Drese (6–4) || Estes (2–5) || — || Jacobs Field || 39,436 || 31–31 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 63 || June 10 || @ White Sox || 3–1 || Astacio (7–2) || Glover (2–2) || Benitez (14) || Comiskey Park || 27,679 || 32–31 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 64 || June 11 || @ White Sox || 8–10 || Ritchie (4–8) || D'Amico (4–5) || Osuna (1) || Comiskey Park || 20,156 || 32–32 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 65 || June 12 || @ White Sox || 1–2 || Biddle (1–0) || Leiter (6–6) || Osuna (2) || Comiskey Park || 16,314 || 32–33 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 66 || June 14 || Yankees || 2–4 || Karsay (3–2) || Komiyama (0–3) || — || Shea Stadium || 54,069 || 32–34 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 67 || June 15 || Yankees || 8–0 || Estes (3–5) || Clemens (8–3) || — || Shea Stadium || 54,347 || 33–34 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 68 || June 16 || Yankees || 3–2 || Guthrie (1–0) || Wells (7–4) || Benitez (15) || Shea Stadium || 55,141 || 34–34 |- bgcolor="#fcc"