List of New York Mets seasons
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in Flushing, Queens, New York City. They compete in the East Division of Major League Baseball's (MLB) National League (NL). The team's current home stadium is Citi Field, after playing two years at the Polo Grounds and 45 years at Shea Stadium.[1] Since their inception in 1962, the Mets have won two World Series titles and five NL championships. As of the end of the 2020 season, the Mets have won more than 4,400 regular season games, a total that ranks 20th among MLB teams and fourth among expansion teams.[2]
The Mets lost 120 games in their inaugural season, the most by a post-1900 MLB team.[3] After six more years in which their best league finish was ninth, the Mets won the World Series in 1969, defeating the Baltimore Orioles in five games to earn what is widely considered one of the biggest upsets in baseball history.[4][5] Four seasons later, the Mets returned to the World Series, where they lost to the Oakland Athletics in seven games. After winning two NL championships in five years, New York struggled for the next decade, not coming within 10 games of the NL East leader until 1984.
In 1986, the team posted 108 wins, the most in franchise history, and defeated the Houston Astros in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) to advance to the World Series. Trailing three games to two in the series, the Mets were one out from defeat in game six before coming back to win 6–5; they won game seven two days later to earn their second World Series championship.[6] After a second-place finish in 1987, the Mets won the NL East the next year, but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. The Mets' next playoff appearances were their back-to-back wild card-winning seasons of 1999 and 2000; in the latter year, they won their fourth NL championship, but lost to the cross-town New York Yankees in the "Subway Series".[7] The 2006 Mets earned an NL East title, before the St. Louis Cardinals defeated them in the NLCS. In 2007 and 2008, the team was eliminated from playoff contention on the last day of the regular season.[8] The Mets won the NL East in 2015, and swept the Chicago Cubs in four games to win the NLCS and advance to the World Series for the first time since 2000;[9] they lost the Series to the Kansas City Royals in five games. The following year, they returned to the playoffs with a wild card berth, but lost the 2016 NL Wild Card Game to the San Francisco Giants. In the most recent season, 2020, the Mets finished in a tie for fourth place in the NL East and did not qualify for the postseason.
Table key
Term | Meaning |
---|---|
ASGMVP | All-Star Game Most Valuable Player |
CPOY | Comeback Player of the Year |
CYA | Cy Young Award |
Finish | Final position in league or division |
GB | "Games back" from first-place team[a] |
Losses | Number of regular season losses |
Mets season | Each year is linked to an article about that particular Mets season |
MLB season | Each year is linked to an article about that particular MLB season |
NLCS | National League Championship Series |
NLDS | National League Division Series |
NLWC | National League Wild Card Game |
ROY | National League Rookie of the Year |
Wins | Number of regular season wins |
WSMVP | World Series Most Valuable Player Award |
Year by year
Note: Statistics are correct as of September 29, 2019.
World Series champions (1962–present) † |
National League champions (1962–present) * |
Division champions (1969–present) ^ |
Wild card berth (1994–present) ¤ |
MLB season | Mets season | League[11] | Division[11] | Finish[11] | Wins[11] | Losses[11] | Win%[11] | GB[11] | Playoffs[12] | Awards |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1962 | 1962 | NL | — | 10th | 40 | 120 | .250 | 60½ | — | — |
1963 | 1963 | NL | — | 10th | 51 | 111 | .315 | 48 | — | — |
1964 | 1964 | NL | — | 10th | 53 | 109 | .327 | 40 | — | — |
1965 | 1965 | NL | — | 10th | 50 | 112 | .309 | 47 | — | — |
1966 | 1966 | NL | — | 9th | 66 | 95 | .410 | 28½ | — | — |
1967 | 1967 | NL | — | 10th | 61 | 101 | .377 | 40½ | — | Tom Seaver (ROY)[13] |
1968 | 1968 | NL | — | 9th | 73 | 89 | .451 | 24 | — | — |
1969 | 1969† | NL* | East[b]^ | 1st | 100 | 62 | .617 | — | Won NLCS (Atlanta Braves) 3–0 Won World Series (Baltimore Orioles) 4–1† |
Tom Seaver (CYA)[14] Tommie Agee (CPOY)[15] Donn Clendenon (WSMVP)[16] |
1970 | 1970 | NL | East | 3rd | 83 | 79 | .512 | 6 | — | — |
1971 | 1971 | NL | East | 3rd | 83 | 79 | .512 | 14 | — | — |
1972[c] | 1972 | NL | East | 3rd | 83 | 73 | .532 | 13½ | — | Jon Matlack (ROY)[13] |
1973 | 1973 | NL* | East^ | 1st | 82 | 79 | .509 | — | Won NLCS (Cincinnati Reds) 3–2 Lost World Series (Oakland Athletics) 4–3* |
Tom Seaver (CYA)[14] |
1974 | 1974 | NL | East | 5th | 71 | 91 | .438 | 17 | — | — |
1975 | 1975 | NL | East | 3rd | 82 | 80 | .506 | 10½ | — | Tom Seaver (CYA)[14] Jon Matlack (ASGMVP)[17][d] |
1976 | 1976 | NL | East | 3rd | 86 | 76 | .531 | 15 | — | — |
1977 | 1977 | NL | East | 6th | 64 | 98 | .395 | 37 | — | — |
1978 | 1978 | NL | East | 6th | 66 | 96 | .407 | 24 | — | — |
1979 | 1979 | NL | East | 6th | 63 | 99 | .389 | 35 | — | — |
1980 | 1980 | NL | East | 5th | 67 | 95 | .414 | 24 | — | — |
1981[e] | 1981 | NL | East | 5th | 41 | 62 | .398 | 18½ | — | — |
1982 | 1982 | NL | East | 6th | 65 | 97 | .401 | 27 | — | — |
1983 | 1983 | NL | East | 6th | 68 | 94 | .420 | 22 | — | Darryl Strawberry (ROY)[13] |
1984 | 1984 | NL | East | 2nd | 90 | 72 | .556 | 6½ | — | Dwight Gooden (ROY)[13] |
1985 | 1985 | NL | East | 2nd | 98 | 64 | .605 | 3 | — | Dwight Gooden (CYA)[14] |
1986 | 1986† | NL* | East^ | 1st | 108 | 54 | .667 | — | Won NLCS (Houston Astros) 4–2 Won World Series (Boston Red Sox) 4–3† |
Ray Knight (CPOY), (WSMVP)[18][19] |
1987 | 1987 | NL | East | 2nd | 92 | 70 | .568 | 3 | — | — |
1988 | 1988 | NL | East^ | 1st | 100 | 60 | .625 | — | Lost NLCS (Los Angeles Dodgers) 4–3 | — |
1989 | 1989 | NL | East | 2nd | 87 | 75 | .537 | 6 | — | — |
1990 | 1990 | NL | East | 2nd | 91 | 71 | .562 | 4 | — | — |
1991 | 1991 | NL | East | 5th | 77 | 84 | .478 | 20½ | — | — |
1992 | 1992 | NL | East | 5th | 72 | 90 | .444 | 24 | — | — |
1993 | 1993 | NL | East | 7th | 59 | 103 | .364 | 38 | — | — |
1994[f] | 1994 | NL | East | 3rd | 55 | 58 | .487 | 18½ | — | — |
1995[g] | 1995 | NL | East | 2nd | 69 | 75 | .479 | 21 | — | — |
1996 | 1996 | NL | East | 4th | 71 | 91 | .438 | 25 | — | — |
1997 | 1997 | NL | East | 3rd | 88 | 74 | .543 | 13 | — | — |
1998 | 1998 | NL | East | 2nd | 88 | 74 | .543 | 18 | — | — |
1999 | 1999 | NL | East | 2nd[h]¤ | 97 | 66 | .595 | 6½ | Won NLDS (Arizona Diamondbacks) 3–1 Lost NLCS (Atlanta Braves) 4–2 |
Rickey Henderson (CPOY)[20] |
2000 | 2000 | NL* | East | 2nd¤ | 94 | 68 | .580 | 1 | Won NLDS (San Francisco Giants) 3–1 Won NLCS (St. Louis Cardinals) 4–1 Lost World Series (New York Yankees) 4–1* |
— |
2001 | 2001 | NL | East | 3rd | 82 | 80 | .506 | 6 | — | — |
2002 | 2002 | NL | East | 5th | 75 | 86 | .466 | 26½ | — | — |
2003 | 2003 | NL | East | 5th | 66 | 95 | .410 | 34½ | — | — |
2004 | 2004 | NL | East | 4th | 71 | 91 | .438 | 25 | — | — |
2005 | 2005 | NL | East | 3rd | 83 | 79 | .512 | 7 | — | — |
2006 | 2006 | NL | East^ | 1st | 97 | 65 | .599 | — | Won NLDS (Los Angeles Dodgers) 3–0 Lost NLCS (St. Louis Cardinals) 4–3 |
— |
2007 | 2007 | NL | East | 2nd | 88 | 74 | .543 | 1 | — | — |
2008 | 2008 | NL | East | 2nd | 89 | 73 | .549 | 3 | — | Fernando Tatís (CPOY)[21] |
2009 | 2009 | NL | East | 4th | 70 | 92 | .432 | 23 | — | — |
2010 | 2010 | NL | East | 4th | 79 | 83 | .488 | 18 | — | — |
2011 | 2011 | NL | East | 4th | 77 | 85 | .475 | 25 | — | — |
2012 | 2012 | NL | East | 4th | 74 | 88 | .457 | 24 | — | R.A. Dickey (CYA)[14] |
2013 | 2013 | NL | East | 3rd | 74 | 88 | .457 | 22 | — | — |
2014 | 2014 | NL | East | T-2nd | 79 | 83 | .488 | 17 | — | Jacob deGrom (ROY)[13] |
2015 | 2015 | NL* | East^ | 1st | 90 | 72 | .556 | — | Won NLDS (Los Angeles Dodgers) 3–2 Won NLCS (Chicago Cubs) 4–0 Lost World Series (Kansas City Royals) 4–1* |
Matt Harvey (CPOY)[22] |
2016 | 2016 | NL | East | 2nd¤ | 87 | 75 | .537 | 8 | Lost NLWC (San Francisco Giants) | — |
2017 | 2017 | NL | East | 4th | 70 | 92 | .432 | 27 | — | — |
2018 | 2018 | NL | East | 4th | 77 | 85 | .475 | 13 | — | Jacob deGrom (CYA)[14] |
2019 | 2019 | NL | East | 3rd | 86 | 76 | .531 | 11 | — | Jacob deGrom (CYA)[14] Pete Alonso (ROY)[13] |
2020[i] | 2020 | NL | East | T-4th | 26 | 34 | .433 | 9 | — | — |
Record by decade
The following table describes the Mets' MLB win–loss record by decade.
Decade | Wins | Losses | Pct |
---|---|---|---|
1960s | 494 | 799 | .382 |
1970s | 763 | 850 | .473 |
1980s | 816 | 743 | .523 |
1990s | 767 | 786 | .494 |
2000s | 815 | 803 | .504 |
2010s | 793 | 827 | .490 |
2020s | 26 | 34 | .433 |
All-time | 4474 | 4842 | .480 |
These statistics are from Baseball-Reference.com's New York Mets Team History & Encyclopedia,[11] and are current as of September 27, 2020.
All-time records
Statistic | Wins | Losses | Win% |
---|---|---|---|
New York Mets regular season record (1962–2020) | 4,474 | 4,842 | .480 |
New York Mets postseason record (1962–2020) | 51 | 38 | .573 |
All-time regular and postseason record | 4,525 | 4,880 | .481 |
Notes
- a This is determined by calculating the difference in wins plus the difference in losses divided by two.
- b In 1969, the National League split into East and West divisions.[23]
- c The 1972 Major League Baseball strike forced the cancellation of the Mets' first six games of the season.[24]
- d Matlack and Bill Madlock were co-winners of the award.[17]
- e The 1981 Major League Baseball strike caused the season to be split into two halves.[25] The Mets finished with a 17–34 record in the first half of the season, and a fifth-place finish in the National League East. After the strike was resolved, the team had a 24–28 record in the second half, placing them fourth in the division.[26]
- f The 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike, which started on August 12, led to the cancellation of the rest of the season.[24]
- g The 1994–95 MLB strike lasted until April 2, causing the 1995 season to be shortened to 144 games.[24]
- h The Mets finished the 1999 season tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the National League wild card playoff berth. In a one-game tie-breaker, the Mets defeated the Reds 5–0 to win the wild card.[27]
- i The 2020 season was shortened to 60 games by the COVID-19 pandemic.[28]
References
- General
- "New York Mets Team History & Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
- "New York Mets: History". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
- "New York Mets year-by-year results". New York Mets. Major League Baseball. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
- "Mets Postseason Results". New York Mets. Major League Baseball. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
- Specific
- "New York Mets Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 21, 2009.
- "MLB Teams and Baseball Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
- Donovan, John (September 4, 2003). "The (dis)honor roll: Tigers have plenty of company among all-time worst teams". CNN Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on April 13, 2008. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
- "List: Biggest baseball playoff upsets". ESPN. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
- Leggett, William (October 27, 1969). "Never Pumpkins Again". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on March 19, 2004. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
- Fimrite, Ron (November 3, 1986). "Good To The Very Last Out". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on March 25, 2009. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- Johnson, Dirk (October 25, 2000). "Baseball: Subway Series; New York Swaggers, But America Shrugs". The New York Times. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
- Cothran, Jeremy D. (September 29, 2008). "After another choke ends the season, choked-up Mets ponder what-ifs". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- Kestin, Olivia; Brand, Anna (October 22, 2015). "The New York Mets are headed to the World Series (!)". MSNBC. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
- "Gary Carter". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
- "New York Mets Team History & Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
- "World Series Winners, Records, and Results and Postseason Series". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
- "All-time winners: Rookie of the Year". Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
- "All-time winners: Cy Young". Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- Leggett, William (June 15, 1970). "A Boo-boo Or Baby For Bowie". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on December 2, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- "Donn Clendenon". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
- "All-Star MVPs". Major League Baseball. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
- "Sports People; Coming and Goings". The New York Times. December 2, 1986. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
- "Ray Knight". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
- "Rangers' Palmeiro named Sporting News Player of Year". ESPN. October 18, 1999. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
- Cothran, Jeremy D. (October 23, 2008). "New York Mets outfielder Fernando Tatis wins National League Comeback Player of the Year award". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
- "All-time winners: Comeback Player of the Year". Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
- Leggett, William (April 14, 1969). "One Hundred And One". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
- "Baseball stoppages date back to 1972". ESPN. Associated Press. August 29, 2002. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
- Kirshenbaum, Jerry, ed. (October 5, 1981). "Scorecard". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- "1981 Season". ESPN. Retrieved April 21, 2009.
- Battista, Judy (October 5, 1999). "The Mets Erase Cincinnati, the Doubts and Frustration". The New York Times. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
- Gonzales, Mark (June 23, 2020). "Column: A 60-game MLB season might not sound like much. But pulling it off with the coronavirus still out there would be a major feat". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 30, 2020.