1998 Atlanta Braves season

The 1998 Atlanta Braves season marked the franchise's 33rd season in Atlanta and 128th overall. The Braves entered the season as defending National League runner ups. They went on to win their fourth consecutive division title, taking the National League East title by 18 games over the second place New York Mets.

The team featured six all stars: shortstop Walt Weiss and third baseman Chipper Jones were voted as starters, while first baseman Andrés Galarraga, catcher Javy López, and pitchers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux were selected as reserves. Jones and Lopez each hit over 30 home runs as Galarraga (acquired from Colorado) led the club in home runs and RBI. Galarraga finished as an MVP candidate.

The 1998 Braves beat the Chicago Cubs three games to none in the National League Division Series. In the next round Atlanta then lost to the San Diego Padres in the National League Championship Series four games to two. Despite winning two games after losing the first three, Atlanta's comeback bid came short by being eliminated in Game 6. San Diego's winning over Atlanta was seen as one of the biggest upsets in postseason history. The Braves failed to go to their fifth World Series of the 1990s.

The 1998 Atlanta Braves are seen as one of the greatest Major League Baseball teams of all time, despite not winning a title. ESPN writer David Schoenfield lists them as one of the top teams in MLB history to not win a World Series. The team's greatness and their surprising playoff defeat are memorialized by Morgan Wallen in his 2023 hit, "98 Braves." The song is an extended metaphor that compares a past relationship to the season.

ESPN columnist Jeff Merron also writes that the pitching staff of Maddux, Glavine, John Smoltz, Denny Neagle, and Kevin Millwood was the greatest of all time. The quintet posted a cumulative 2.97 ERA and amassed 88 wins (almost 18 wins per starter), equaling the win total of the 2nd place Mets. The 1998 Braves are the only team in MLB history to have five pitchers each strike out 150 batters in the same season. Glavine, the lone 20 game winner in the National League for that year, won the Cy Young Award.

Offseason November 17, 1997: Walt Weiss was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. November 27, 1997: Andrés Galarraga was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. January 30, 1998: Dennis Martínez was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. February 6, 1998: Curtis Pride was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves.

Regular season

Opening Day starters

C Eddie Pérez 1B Andrés Galarraga 2B Tony Graffanino 3B Chipper Jones SS Walt Weiss LF Ryan Klesko CF Andruw Jones RF Michael Tucker P Greg Maddux

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Transactions June 9, 1998: Howard Battle was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves.Howard Battle Statistics Baseball-Reference.com June 23, 1998: Alan Embree was traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Russ Springer.Alan Embree Statistics Baseball-Reference.com August 14, 1998: Paul Byrd was selected off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies from the Atlanta Braves.Paul Byrd Statistics Baseball-Reference.com

Roster 1998 Atlanta Braves Roster Pitchers Catchers

Infielders OutfieldersManager

Coaches

Game log

|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 || March 31 || Brewers || 2–1 || Ligtenberg (1–0) || Wickman (0–1) || — || 42,891 || 1–0 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 || April 2 || Brewers || 6–8 || Myers (1–0) || Butler (0–1) || — || 29,671 || 1–1 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 || April 3 || Phillies || 5–1 || Neagle (1–0) || Grace (0–1) || — || 30,020 || 2–1 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 || April 4 || Phillies || 5–4 || Martinez (1–0) || Brewer (0–1) || Wohlers (1) || 39,154 || 3–1 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 || April 5 || Phillies || 1–2 || Schilling (1–0) || Maddux (0–1) || — || 35,331 || 3–2 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 || April 7 || @ Pirates || 11–3 || Glavine (1–0) || Schmidt (1–1) || — || 43,268 || 4–2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 || April 8 || @ Pirates || 3–5 || Loaiza (1–0) || Neagle (1–1) || Loiselle (3) || 11,254 || 4–3 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 || April 9 || @ Pirates || 4–3 || Millwood (1–0) || Lieber (0–1) || Wohlers (2) || 9,560 || 5–3 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 || April 10 || @ Phillies || 0–1 || Schilling (2–0) || Cather (0–1) || — || 30,311 || 5–4 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 || April 11 || @ Phillies || 5–6 || Green (1–0) || Martinez (1–1) || — || 17,676 || 5–5 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 || April 12 || @ Phillies || 3–2 || Glavine (2–0) || Stephenson (0–1) || Wohlers (3) || 18,760 || 6–5 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 || April 13 || @ Phillies || 8–11 || Spradlin (1–0) || Ligtenberg (1–1) || Bottalico (2) || 15,101 || 6–6 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 13 || April 14 || Pirates || 6–0 || Millwood (2–0) || Lieber (0–2) || — || 31,259 || 7–6 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 14 || April 15 || Pirates || 7–0 || Maddux (1–1) || Silva (1–2) || — || 30,381 || 8–6 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 || April 16 || Pirates || 3–1 || Smoltz (1–0) || Cordova (2–1) || Wohlers (4) || 35,760 || 9–6 |- bgcolor="#cccccc" | – || April 17 || @ Rockies || colspan=7|Postponed (snow); rescheduled for April 19 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 || April 18 || @ Rockies || 11–4 || Neagle (2–1) || Astacio (1–3) || — || 48,058 || 10–6 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 || April 19 || @ Rockies || 5–3 || Millwood (3–0) || Thompson (1–1) || Wohlers (5) || 48,038 || 11–6 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 || April 19 || @ Rockies || 7–10 || Wright (1–2) || Martinez (1–2) || Dipoto (4) || 43,977 || 11–7 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 || April 20 || @ Rockies || 7–5 || Maddux (2–1) || Kile (1–3) || Ligtenberg (1) || 43,594 || 12–7 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 || April 22 || Diamondbacks || 5–2 || Smoltz (2–0) || Benes (2–2) || — || 30,952 || 13–7 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 21 || April 23 || Diamondbacks || 3–1 || Glavine (3–0) || Blair (0–4) || Wohlers (6) || 33,013 || 14–7 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 22 || April 24 || Diamondbacks || 6–5 || Ligtenberg (2–1) || Springer (1–1) || — || 41,514 || 15–7 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 || April 25 || Rockies || 7–11 || Kile (2–3) || Millwood (3–1) || — || 49,161 || 15–8 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 || April 26 || Rockies || 6–7 || Wright (2–2) || Maddux (2–2) || Dipoto (5) || 42,200 || 15–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 || April 27 || @ Diamondbacks || 6–5 || Cather (1–1) || Daal (0–1) || Wohlers (7) || 47,410 || 16–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 26 || April 28 || @ Diamondbacks || 12–2 || Glavine (4–0) || Blair (0–5) || — || 47,593 || 17–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 27 || April 30 || Giants || 6–0 || Neagle (3–1) || Hershiser (0–3) || — || 31,818 || 18–9

|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 || May 1 || Giants || 6–2 || G. Maddux (3–2) || Rueter (3–2) || — || 35,777 || 19–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 || May 2 || Giants || 4–3 || Ligtenberg (3–1) || Nen (3–1) || — || 46,597 || 20–9 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 30 || May 3 || Giants || 8–12 || Darwin (2–2) || Glavine (4–1) || — || 36,958 || 20–10 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 || May 4 || Dodgers || 4–2 || Millwood (4–1) || Guthrie (1–1) || Ligtenberg (2) || 32,330 || 21–10 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 || May 5 || Dodgers || 8–3 || Neagle (4–1) || Valdez (2–4) || — || 30,310 || 22–10 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 || May 6 || Dodgers || 7–0 || G. Maddux (4–2) || Dreifort (0–3) || — || 38,637 || 23–10 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 34 || May 7 || Padres || 6–3 || Smoltz (3–0) || Hamilton (3–2) || Ligtenberg (3) || 31,811 || 24–10 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 || May 8 || Padres || 2–3 || Ashby (5–2) || Glavine (4–2) || Hoffman (9) || 37,490 || 24–11 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 36 || May 9 || Padres || 6–4 || Millwood (5–1) || Van Ryn (0–1) || Ligtenberg (4) || 46,160 || 25–11 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 37 || May 10 || Padres || 8–5 || Cather (2–1) || Wall (0–1) || Ligtenberg (5) || 33,376 || 26–11 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 38 || May 11 || @ Reds || 8–1 || G. Maddux (5–2) || Remlinger (3–4) || — || 19,285 || 27–11 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 39 || May 12 || @ Reds || 5–1 || Smoltz (4–0) || Weathers (2–2) || — || 19,033 || 28–11 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 || May 13 || @ Cardinals || 10–2 || Glavine (5–2) || Politte (2–3) || — || 31,532 || 29–11 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 41 || May 14 || @ Cardinals || 7–3 || Rocker (1–0) || Acevedo (1–1) || — || 32,119 || 30–11 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 || May 15 || @ Astros || 3–2 || Neagle (5–1) || Lima (6–2) || Martinez (1) || 38,941 || 31–11 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 43 || May 16 || @ Astros || 2–3 || Henry (2–1) || Ligtenberg (3–2) || — || 51,526 || 31–12 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 44 || May 17 || @ Astros || 1–8 || Bergman (4–2) || Smoltz (4–1) || — || 35,250 || 31–13 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 45 || May 18 || @ Astros || 4–0 || Glavine (6–2) || Hampton (6–2) || — || 22,119 || 32–13 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 46 || May 20 || Rockies || 5–1 || Millwood (6–1) || Thomson (2–5) || — || 33,531 || 33–13 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 47 || May 21 || Rockies || 2–0 || Neagle (6–1) || Kile (5–5) || Ligtenberg (6) || 34,611 || 34–13 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 48 || May 22 || Cubs || 8–2 || G. Maddux (6–2) || Clark (3–6) || — || 43,576 || 35–13 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 || May 23 || Cubs || 6–10 || Beck (1–0) || Edmondson (0–1) || — || 50,189 || 35–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 50 || May 24 || Cubs || 2–1 || Glavine (7–2) || Adams (2–3) || — || 48,580 || 36–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 51 || May 25 || Cubs || 9–5 || Millwood (7–1) || Tapani (6–3) || — || 33,704 || 37–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 52 || May 26 || Expos || 9–3 || Neagle (7–1) || Batista (1–2) || — || 28,662 || 38–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 53 || May 27 || Expos || 2–0 || G. Maddux (7–2) || Vazquez (1–6) || Ligtenberg (7) || 32,834 || 39–14 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 || May 28 || Expos || 5–9 || M. Maddux (1–1) || Wohlers (0–1) || — || 31,416 || 39–15 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 55 || May 29 || @ Cubs || 3–5 || Adams (3–3) || Rocker (1–1) || — || 38,010 || 39–16 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 || May 30 || @ Cubs || 8–9 || Trachsel (6–1) || Millwood (7–2) || Patterson (1) || 39,817 || 39–17 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 57 || May 31 || @ Cubs || 2–4 || Tapani (7–3) || Neagle (7–2) || Beck (15) || 29,285 || 39–18

|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 58 || June 1 || @ Brewers || 5–2 || Maddux (8–2) || Woodard (3–3) || — || 21,873 || 40–18 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 59 || June 2 || @ Brewers || 9–0 || D. Martinez (2–2) || Wagner (1–4) || — || 39,017 || 41–18 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 || June 3 || @ Brewers || 5–2 || Glavine (8–2) || Juden (5–4) || Wohlers (8) || 19,116 || 42–18 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 61 || June 5 || @ Orioles || 2–3 || Erickson (6–6) || Neagle (7–3) || — || 48,039 || 42–19 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 62 || June 6 || @ Orioles || 10–5 || Millwood (8–2) || Mussina (4–3) || — || 48,098 || 43–19 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 63 || June 7 || @ Orioles || 9–0 || Maddux (9–2) || Drabek (5–6) || — || 48,090 || 44–19 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 64 || June 8 || Red Sox || 7–6 || Embree (1–0) || Wasdin (3–3) || — || 44,018 || 45–19 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 65 || June 9 || Red Sox || 3–9 || Saberhagen (8–3) || D. Martinez (2–3) || — || 43,121 || 45–20 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 || June 10 || Red Sox || 6–10 || P. Martínez (7–2) || Neagle (7–4) || — || 41,345 || 45–21 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 67 || June 12 || Expos || 5–7 || Batista (2–3) || Cather (2–2) || Urbina (16) || 45,942 || 45–22 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 68 || June 13 || Expos || 9–7 || Glavine (9–2) || Johnson (0–2) || D. Martinez (2) || 48,943 || 46–22 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 69 || June 14 || Expos || 5–1 || Millwood (9–2) || Perez (6–5) || — || 46,543 || 47–22 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 70 || June 16 || Marlins || 7–0 || Neagle (8–4) || Fontenot (0–4) || — || 39,331 || 48–22 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 71 || June 17 || Marlins || 6–2 || Maddux (10–2) || Sanchez (3–4) || — || 38,021 || 49–22 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 72 || June 18 || Marlins || 2–3 || Ojala (1–0) || Glavine (9–3) || Alfonseca (2) || 46,296 || 49–23 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 73 || June 19 || @ Expos || 1–14 || Boskie (1–0) || Millwood (9–3) || — || 10,364 || 49–24 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 74 || June 20 || @ Expos || 5–1 || Smoltz (5–1) || Perez (6–6) || — || 11,139 || 50–24