The 1998 New York Mets season was the 37th regular season for the Mets. Like the previous season, they finished the season with a record of 88–74. Despite placing second in the National League East, the Mets fell one game short of playoff contention following a catastrophic collapse during the final week of the season, losing their final five games of the season. They were managed by Bobby Valentine. They played home games at Shea Stadium.
Despite the collapse, the season is most remembered for the trade acquisition of All-Star and future Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza in May from the Florida Marlins (Piazza had been just traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Marlins a week earlier before his Mets trade). Upon the trade to New York, Piazza instantly became the team's best player and face of the franchise.
Offseason November 24, 1997: John Olerud was signed as a free agent with the New York Mets.John Olerud Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com December 18, 1997: Dennis Cook was acquired from the Florida Marlins in exchange for Fletcher Bates and Scott Comer. February 6, 1998: Al Leiter and Ralph Milliard were acquired from the Florida Marlins in exchange for A. J. Burnett, Jesus Sanchez, and Robert Stratton.
Regular season Despite their collapse toward the end of the season, the 1998 season was notable for the Mets due in large part to the acquisition of All-Star catcher Mike Piazza. The Mets were in need of a catcher due to an injury suffered by their own star catcher Todd Hundley, and took advantage of both Piazza's disagreement over a new contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the ongoing salary dumping by the defending World Series champion Florida Marlins; unable to negotiate a deal, the Dodgers traded Piazza to the Marlins, who turned around several days later and dealt Piazza to the Mets for outfield prospect Preston Wilson, among others. Piazza contributed a .348 average with 23 home runs and 76 RBI during his time with the Mets and once again was voted to the National League All-Star team. Hundley, meanwhile, attempted to make a move to left field when he rejoined the team, but it did not work. His tenure with the Mets ended when he was traded to the Dodgers after the season.
John Olerud was again the hitting star for the Mets. He recorded a .354 average, the second best in all of baseball behind Larry Walker, and once again led the team with 93 RBI, to go with his 22 home runs. On the pitching side, another Marlins castoff made his presence felt as Al Leiter had his career best marks as a starter. Leiter won a career high seventeen games and added a 2.47 ERA. Rick Reed continued his career renaissance by adding sixteen wins of his own.
Opening Day starters Edgardo Alfonzo Carlos Baerga Bernard Gilkey Butch Huskey Bobby Jones Brian McRae John Olerud Rey Ordóñez Tim Spehr
The Mets played an unforgettable opening day game at Shea Stadium on March 31 against their division rival Philadelphia Phillies. Both of them were involved in the longest scoreless opening day game in the National League and the longest one in MLB since 1926 when the Washington Senators beat the Philadelphia Athletics 1–0 in 15 innings. The Mets won the game 1–0 in 14 innings when backup catcher Alberto Castillo delivered a full-count, two-out, pinch-hit single to right with the bases loaded off Philadelphia closer Ricky Bottalico. This was the first regular season baseball game played in New York in March.
Notable transactions May 10, 1998: Steve Decker was signed as a free agent with the New York Mets.Steve Decker Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com May 22, 1998: Mike Piazza was traded by the Florida Marlins to the New York Mets for Preston Wilson, Ed Yarnall, and Geoff Goetz (minors). June 16, 1998: Rich Becker was selected off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles from the New York Mets. July 3, 1998: Josías Manzanillo was signed as a free agent with the New York Mets. July 31, 1998: Tony Phillips was traded by the Toronto Blue Jays to the New York Mets for Leo Estrella.Tony Phillips Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com July 31, 1998: Bill Pulsipher was traded by the New York Mets to the Milwaukee Brewers for Mike Kinkade.Bill Pulsipher Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Game log LegendMets WinMets LossGame Postponed Eliminated from playoff spotBold = Mets team member
|- bgcolor="#cfc" | 1 || March 31 || Phillies || 1–0 || Wendell (1–0) || Bottalico (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 49,142 || 1–0 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 2 || April 2 || Phillies || 5–6 || Portugal (1–0) || Leiter (0–1) || Bottalico (1) || Shea Stadium || 13,591 || 1–1 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 3 || April 3 || Pirates || 2–1 || McMichael (1–0) || Peters (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 15,245 || 2–1 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 4 || April 4 || Pirates || 7–6 || Wendell (2–0) || Peters (0–2) || — || Shea Stadium || 17,633 || 3–1 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 5 || April 5 || Pirates || 7–0 || Yoshii (1–0) || Silva (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 18,205 || 4–1 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 6 || April 6 || Pirates || 2–4 || Cordova (2–0) || B. Jones (0–1) || Loiselle (2) || Shea Stadium || 13,528 || 4–2 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 7 || April 7 || @ Cubs || 3–2 || Leiter (1–1) || Gonzalez (0–1) || Franco (1) || Wrigley Field || 16,293 || 5–2 |- bgcolor="#ccc" | – || April 8 || @ Cubs || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for July 24 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 8 || April 9 || @ Cubs || 7–8 || Trachsel (2–0) || Reed (0–1) || Beck (5) || Wrigley Field || 17,313 || 5–3 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 9 || April 10 || @ Brewers || 3–5 || Juden (2–0) || Mlicki (0–1) || D. Jones (4) || County Stadium || 10,330 || 5–4 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 10 || April 11 || @ Brewers || 2–1 || Cook (1–0) || Wickman (0–3) || Franco (2) || County Stadium || 24,140 || 6–4 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 11 || April 12 || @ Brewers || 6–4 || Wendell (3–0) || P. Wagner (0–1) || Rojas (1) || County Stadium || 10,459 || 7–4 |- bgcolor="#ccc" | – || April 13 || @ Brewers || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for July 22 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 12 || April 14 || Cubs || 6–0 || Leiter (2–1) || Gonzalez (0–2) || — || Shea Stadium || 15,965 || 8–4 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 13 || April 15 || Cubs || 2–1 || Reed (1–1) || Trachsel (2–1) || Franco (3) || Shea Stadium || 16,012 || 9–4 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 14 || April 16 || Cubs || 4–8 || Tapani (3–1) || Mlicki (0–2) || — || Shea Stadium || 50,814 || 9–5 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 15 || April 17 || @ Reds || 3–4 || Remlinger (2–2) || B. Jones (0–2) || Shaw (5) || Cinergy Field || 21,384 || 9–6 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 16 || April 18 || @ Reds || 5–4 || Rojas (1–0) || Belinda (0–2) || Franco (4) || Cinergy Field || 21,213 || 10–6 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 17 || April 19 || @ Reds || 14–0 || Leiter (3–1) || White (0–2) || — || Cinergy Field || 16,743 || 11–6 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 18 || April 21 || Astros || 0–6 || Hampton (4–0) || Reed (1–2) || — || Shea Stadium || 14,774 || 11–7 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 19 || April 22 || Astros || 10–7 || Cook (2–0) || Henry (1–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 12,772 || 12–7 |- bgcolor="#ccc" | – || April 23 || Astros || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for April 27 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 20 || April 24 || Reds || 3–2 || B. Jones (1–2) || Shaw (0–2) || Franco (5) || Shea Stadium || 15,546 || 13–7 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 21 || April 25 || Reds || 0–2 || Weathers (2–1) || Yoshii (1–1) || Shaw (7) || Shea Stadium || 22,652 || 13–8 |- bgcolor="#ccc" | – || April 26 || Reds || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for May 19 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 22 || April 27 || Astros || 3–4 || Nitkowski (1–1) || Franco (0–1) || B. Wagner (6) || Shea Stadium || 17,656 || 13–9 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 23 || April 28 || @ Astros || 3–4 || Magnante (2–1) || Hudek (0–1) || — || Astrodome || 14,943 || 13–10 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 24 || April 29 || @ Astros || 1–6 || Lima (4–1) || Mlicki (0–3) || — || Astrodome || 14,448 || 13–11 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 25 || April 30 || Rockies || 0–4 || Kile (3–3) || B. Jones (1–3) || — || Shea Stadium || 12,599 || 13–12
|- bgcolor="#ccc" | – || May 1 || Rockies || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for August 18 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 26 || May 2 || Rockies || 3–7 || Leskanic (2–3) || Cook (2–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 19,968 || 13–13 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 27 || May 3 || Rockies || 5–2 || Reed (2–2) || Astacio (2–4) || — || Shea Stadium || 19,493 || 14–13 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 28 || May 4 || Diamondbacks || 2–4 || Olson (1–1) || Bohanon (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 18,980 || 14–14 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 29 || May 5 || Diamondbacks || 9–1 || Mlicki (1–3) || Daal (0–2) || — || Shea Stadium || 13,205 || 15–14 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 30 || May 6 || Diamondbacks || 8–2 || Rojas (2–0) || Sodowsky (1–2) || — || Shea Stadium || 17,681 || 16–14 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 31 || May 7 || Cardinals || 4–1 || Yoshii (2–1) || Osborne (1–2) || Franco (6) || Shea Stadium || 14,715 || 17–14 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 32 || May 8 || Cardinals || 9–2 || Reed (3–2) || Politte (2–2) || — || Shea Stadium || 16,132 || 18–14 |- bgcolor="#ccc" | – || May 9 || Cardinals || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for August 20 |- bgcolor="#ccc" | – || May 10 || Cardinals || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for August 21 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 33 || May 11 || @ Padres || 1–2 || Brown (3–2) || Leiter (3–2) || Hoffman (10) || Qualcomm Stadium || 15,291 || 18–15 |- bgcolor="#ccc" | – || May 12 || @ Padres || colspan=8|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for May 14 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 34 || May 13 || @ Padres || 4–3 || Jones (2–3) || Hamilton (3–3) || Franco (7) || Qualcomm Stadium || 14,929 || 19–15 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 35 || May 14 || @ Padres || 1–3 || Boehringer (4–1) || Cook (2–2) || Hoffman (11) || Qualcomm Stadium || N/A || 19–16 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 36 || May 14 || @ Padres || 2–6 || Miceli (3–1) || McMichael (1–1) || — || Qualcomm Stadium || 26,488 || 19–17 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 37 || May 15 || @ Giants || 2–3 || Hershiser (2–3) || McMichael (1–2) || Nen (8) || 3Com Park || 14,678 || 19–18 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 38 || May 16 || @ Giants || 4–1 || Reed (4–2) || Rueter (4–3) || Franco (8) || 3Com Park || 30,131 || 20–18 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 39 || May 17 || @ Giants || 2–4 || Gardner (3–2) || Leiter (3–3) || Nen (9) || 3Com Park || 24,408 || 20–19 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 40 || May 19 || Reds || 7–3 || Jones (3–3) || Tomko (5–2) || — || Shea Stadium || N/A || 21–19 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 41 || May 19 || Reds || 5–3 || Bohanon (1–1) || Winchester (2–2) || Franco (9) || Shea Stadium || 15,558 || 22–19 |- bgcolor="#fcc" | 42 || May 20 || Reds || 6–8 || Harnisch (4–0) || Hudek (0–2) || Shaw (14) || Shea Stadium || 12,834 || 22–20 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 43 || May 21 || Reds || 6–1 || Yoshii (3–1) || Hutton (0–1) || — || Shea Stadium || 13,766 || 23–20 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 44 || May 22 || Brewers || 3–2 || Reed (5–2) || Woodall (0–2) || Franco (10) || Shea Stadium || 22,307 || 24–20 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 45 || May 23 || Brewers || 3–0 || Leiter (4–3) || Juden (5–3) || — || Shea Stadium || 32,908 || 25–20 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 46 || May 24 || Brewers || 8–3 || Jones (4–3) || Eldred (0–4) || — || Shea Stadium || 47,291 || 26–20 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 47 || May 26 || @ Marlins || 10–6 || Bohanon (2–1) || Larkin (2–5) || — || Pro Player Stadium || 14,760 || 27–20 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 48 || May 27 || @ Marlins || 8–2 || Yoshii (4–1) || Meadows (4–5) || — || Pro Player Stadium || 15,854 || 28–20 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 49 || May 29 || @ Phillies || 11–0 || Reed (6–2) || Beech (1–3) || — || Veterans Stadium || 21,567 || 29–20 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 50 || May 30 || @ Phillies || 6–4 || Leiter (5–3) || Green (3–4) || Franco (11) || Veterans Stadium || 30,660 || 30–20 |- bgcolor="#cfc" | 51 || May 31 || @ Phillies || 8–6 || Rojas (3–0) || Winston (2–1) || Franco (12) || Veterans Stadium || 23,025 || 31–20
|- bgcolor="#fcc" | 52 || June 1 || @ Pirates || 3–4 || Schmidt (8–1) || Mlicki (1–4) || Rincon (4) || Three Rivers Stadium || 11,274 || 31–21 |- bgcolor="#fcc"