1988 New York Yankees

The final standing	5th in AL East (Failed to reach postseason)
Regular-season record	85-76 (.528)
Post-season record	Did not qualify
Divisional rank	5th
ALDS record and opponent	Did not play
AL rank	10
ALCS record and opponent	Did not play
World Series record and opponent	Did not play
Manager	Billy Martin, Lou Piniella
Captain	Ron Guidry, Willie Randolph
Top batter	Home run: Jack Clark (27), Dave Winfield (25), Don Mattingly (18), Mike Pagliarulo (15) BA: Dave Winfield (.322), Don Mattingly (.311), Claudell Washington (.308), Rickey Henderson (.305) Runs: Rickey Henderson (118), Dave Winfield (96), Don Mattingly (94) RBI: Dave Winfield (107), Jack Clark (93), Don Mattingly (88)
Top pitcher/ (W-L, ERA)	John Candelaria: 13-7, 3.38 Tommy John: 9-8, 4.49
Attendance record	2,633,701 (2nd of 14)

1988 New York Yankees season: Summary

The 1988 New York Yankees season was a topsy-turvy journey. They started strong, winning 9 of their first 10 games, but soon faced a reality check, losing four of their last seven. Despite a strong home record (46-34), their away performance (39-42) left much to be desired.

Managers Lou Piniella and Billy Martin guided the team, but the season marked the end of Martin’s fifth and final stint. The Yankees held the top spot for 65 days, but by July 27, they slipped to fifth place in the American League East.

In a tense race, the Yankees fought to the last day. Unfortunately, the Toronto Blue Jays, having figured out the Yankees’ weaknesses, clinched a crucial victory, sealing the Yankees’ fate. The season concluded with the Yankees in fifth place, 3.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox. While not the glory they sought, the 1988 season showcased the gritty spirit of the Bronx Bombers.

1988 New York Yankees: Don Slaught’s brief Pinstriped Odyssey, Billy Martin’s final act

Don Slaught’s brief stint with the New York Yankees in the late 1980s intertwined with the tumultuous final chapter of Billy Martin’s managerial career. Acquired in November 1987, Slaught brought a veteran presence to the Yankees’ catching position, a move that seemed sensible considering the team bid farewell to the less productive Rick Cerone and Mark Salas.

Before donning the pinstripes, Slaught had a history of solid performances, primarily in part-time roles for the Royals and Rangers. Notably, in 1986, he faced a gruesome hit-by-pitch incident, enduring a broken nose and cheekbone. His arrival in New York aimed to stabilize the catching position, and while he would have been an ideal platoon partner, the Yankees lacked a catcher to face right-handed pitchers.

Slaught’s first season at Yankee Stadium marked his best offensive performance to date. Playing in 97 games, he boasted a .283/.334/.450 batting line with 25 doubles and nine home runs. However, his defensive prowess, a hallmark of his career, suffered as he threw out only 22 percent of base runners.

Yet Slaught’s time in New York is not remembered solely for his on-field contributions. The 1988 Yankees, a fascinating but flawed team, witnessed Martin’s final stint as manager. The season saw highs, with the team in first place for 65 days, and lows, including a notorious 10-19 August slump.

The breaking point came with Slaught’s injury. Placed on the DL with a groin injury in May, Slaught was a vital contributor, hitting .378 before the setback. Activated in June, his return became the catalyst for Martin’s final outburst. Martin publicly criticized the decision to bring Slaught back, claiming he wasn’t ready and leaving the team a man short. This led to Martin’s firing on June 23, when he was replaced by Lou Piniella.

The 1988 season concluded with the Yankees finishing fifth in the American League East. Slaught continued with the team in 1989, but changes were afoot. The Yankees, now under the management of Piniella, embarked on a period of rebuilding, trading away key players like Rickey Henderson.

Slaught’s time in New York was short-lived, but it mirrored the organizational chaos of the late ’80s. Traded to the Pirates in 1990, he found success in Pittsburgh, benefiting from proper platooning. His story with the Yankees encapsulates an era where maximizing player potential and creating a winning environment proved elusive for the franchise.

1988 New York Yankees in videos

Postseason result

(Did not qualify – Eliminated in Regular Season)

1988 New York Yankees roster

Name	Age	B	T	Ht	Wt	DoB	Yrs	G	GS	WAR	Salary
Luis Aguayo	29	R	R	5′ 9″	173	Mar 13, 1959	9	50	37	-0.7
Neil Allen	30	R	R	6′ 3″	185	Jan 24, 1958	10	41	2	1.8	$250,000
Jay Buhner	23	R	R	6′ 3″	220	Aug 13, 1964	2	25	16	0	$67,000
John Candelaria	34	L	L	6′ 7″	230	Nov 6, 1953	14	25	24	2.6	$700,000
Chris Chambliss	39	L	R	6′ 1″	195	Dec 26, 1948	17	1	0		$62,500
Jack Clark	32	R	R	6′ 2″	175	Nov 10, 1955	14	150	136	2.8	$1,500,000
Pat Clements	26	R	L	6′ 0″	175	Feb 2, 1962	4	6	1	-0.3
Jose Cruz	40	L	L	6′ 0″	170	Aug 8, 1947	19	38	17	-0.5	$350,000
Richard Dotson	29	R	R	6′ 1″	190	Jan 10, 1959	10	32	29	-0.2	$900,000
Dave Eiland	21	R	R	6′ 3″	210	Jul 5, 1966	1st	3	3	-0.1
Alvaro Espinoza	26	R	R	6′ 0″	170	Feb 19, 1962	4	3	1	-0.2
Bob Geren	26	R	R	6′ 3″	205	Sep 22, 1961	1st	10	2	-0.2
Cecilio Guante	28	R	R	6′ 3″	200	Feb 1, 1960	7	56	0	2.1	$380,000
Lee Guetterman	29	L	L	6′ 8″	225	Nov 22, 1958	4	20	2	0.2	$137,500
Ron Guidry	37	L	L	5′ 11″	161	Aug 28, 1950	14	13	10	0.5	$825,000
Rickey Henderson HOF	29	R	L	5′ 10″	180	Dec 25, 1958	10	140	138	6.3	$1,770,000
Charles Hudson	29	B	R	6′ 3″	185	Mar 16, 1959	6	28	12	1.1	$450,000
Tommy John	45	R	L	6′ 3″	180	May 22, 1943	25	35	32	0.7	$375,000
Roberto Kelly	23	R	R	6′ 2″	180	Oct 1, 1964	2	38	19	0.3	$67,000
Al Leiter	22	L	L	6′ 2″	200	Oct 23, 1965	2	14	14	0.8	$67,000
Don Mattingly	27	L	L	6′ 0″	175	Apr 20, 1961	7	144	143	3.7	$2,000,000
Bob Meacham	27	R	R	6′ 1″	175	Aug 25, 1960	6	47	29	0.2	$212,500
Dale Mohorcic	32	R	R	6′ 3″	220	Jan 25, 1956	3	13	0	0.8
Hal Morris	23	L	L	6′ 3″	200	Apr 9, 1965	1st	15	2	-0.3
Scott Nielsen	29	R	R	6′ 1″	190	Dec 18, 1958	3	7	2	-0.4
Mike Pagliarulo	28	L	R	6′ 1″	205	Mar 15, 1960	5	125	112	-0.8	$500,000
Hipolito Pena	24	L	L	6′ 3″	165	Jan 30, 1964	3	16	0	-0.1
Ken Phelps	33	L	L	6′ 1″	209	Aug 6, 1954	9	45	28	0.7
Willie Randolph	33	R	R	5′ 11″	165	Jul 6, 1954	14	110	107	2.1	$875,000
Rick Rhoden	35	R	R	6′ 3″	195	May 16, 1953	15	31	31	1	$900,000
Dave Righetti	29	L	L	6′ 4″	195	Nov 28, 1958	9	60	0	1.4	$1,300,000
Rafael Santana	30	R	R	6′ 1″	165	Jan 31, 1958	6	148	147	-0.6	$425,000
Steve Shields	29	R	R	6′ 5″	220	Nov 30, 1958	4	39	0	0	$110,000
Joel Skinner	27	R	R	6′ 4″	198	Feb 21, 1961	6	88	72	0.6	$110,000
Don Slaught	29	R	R	6′ 1″	190	Sep 11, 1958	7	97	88	1.8	$531,500
Tim Stoddard	35	R	R	6′ 7″	230	Jan 24, 1953	12	28	0	-1.2	$700,000
Wayne Tolleson	32	B	R	5′ 9″	160	Nov 22, 1955	8	21	17	0.2	$410,000
Randy Velarde	25	R	R	6′ 0″	185	Nov 24, 1962	2	48	33	-0.3
Gary Ward	34	R	R	6′ 2″	195	Dec 6, 1953	10	91	60	-0.8	$625,000
Claudell Washington	33	L	L	6′ 0″	190	Aug 31, 1954	15	126	99	3.2	$480,000
Dave Winfield HOF	36	R	R	6′ 6″	220	Oct 3, 1951	16	149	145	5.4	$1,958,652

1988 New York Yankees additions, transactions, and trades

November 1987

• November 2, 1987: Released Juan Bonilla, Al Holland, and Lenn Sakata.
• November 10, 1987: Swapped a player, later named Brad Arnsberg, with the Texas Rangers in exchange for Don Slaught.
• November 11, 1987: Added Steve Shields to the roster as a free agent.
• November 12, 1987: Traded Dan Pasqua, Steve Rosenberg, and Mark Salas to the Chicago White Sox for Richard Dotson and Scott Nielsen.
• November 17, 1987: Secured Alvaro Espinoza’s services as a free agent.

December 1987

• December 11, 1987: Traded Steve Frey, Phil Lombardi, and Darren Reed to the New York Mets, acquiring Victor Garcia (minors) and Rafael Santana.
• December 18, 1987: Released Rich Bordi.
• December 21, 1987: Signed Tommy John as a free agent.
• December 22, 1987: Traded Henry Cotto and Steve Trout to the Seattle Mariners, receiving Lee Guetterman, Clay Parker, and Wade Taylor.
• December 23, 1987: Added Dave Righetti to the team through free agency.

January 1988

• January 6, 1988: Signed Jack Clark as a free agent.
• January 15, 1988: Acquired John Candelaria through free agency.

February 1988

• February 25, 1988: Brought Jose Cruz on board as a free agent.

March 1988

• March 29, 1988: Released Pete Filson.
• March 30, 1988: Traded Orestes Destrade to the Pittsburgh Pirates, gaining Hipolito Pena.

April 1988

• April 4, 1988: Signed Pete Filson as a free agent; simultaneously released Rick Cerone and Jerry Royster.

May 1988

• May 7, 1988: Signed Chris Chambliss as a free agent.
• May 10, 1988: Released Chris Chambliss.

June 1988

• June 1, 1988: Selected Jeff Johnson, Pat Kelly, Kenny Greer, Andy Cook, Frank Seminara, Bobby Munoz, Jerry Nielsen, Mike Draper, Russ Davis, Deion Sanders, Joe Vitiello, John Cummings, Orlando Palmeiro, Fernando Vina in the 1988 amateur draft.
• June 20, 1988: Purchased Kevin Mmahat from the Texas Rangers.

July 1988

• July 15, 1988: Traded Amalio Carreno to the Philadelphia Phillies, acquiring Luis Aguayo.
• July 21, 1988: Traded a player to be named later, Rick Balabon (minors), and Jay Buhner to the Seattle Mariners for Ken Phelps. The New York Yankees sent Troy Evers (minors) on October 12, 1988, to the Seattle Mariners to complete the trade.
• July 22, 1988: Released Jose Cruz.

August 1988

• August 14, 1988: Released Tim Stoddard.
• August 30, 1988: Traded Cecilio Guante to the Texas Rangers, receiving Dale Mohorcic.

September 1988

• September 29, 1988: Signed Mark Leiter as a free agent.

October 1988

• October 15, 1988: Pete Dalena, Pete Filson, Dick Scott granted Free Agency.
• October 24, 1988: Willie Randolph and Claudell Washington granted Free Agency.
• October 24, 1988: Traded Jack Clark and Pat Clements to the San Diego Padres for Stan Jefferson, Jimmy Jones, and Lance McCullers.

1988 New York Yankees debuts

• Dave Eiland – 08-03-1988 – 22 years old
• Bob Geren – 05-17-1988 – 26 years old
• Hal Morris – 07-29-1988 – 23 years old

1988 New York Yankees stats (batting)

Pos	Name	Age	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA
C	Don Slaught	29	97	358	322	33	91	25	1	9	43	1	0	24	54	0.283
1B	Don Mattingly	27	144	651	599	94	186	37	0	18	88	1	0	41	29	0.311
2B	Willie Randolph	33	110	474	404	43	93	20	1	2	34	8	4	55	39	0.23
SS	Rafael Santana	30	148	521	480	50	115	12	1	4	38	1	2	33	61	0.24
3B	Mike Pagliarulo	28	125	490	444	46	96	20	1	15	67	1	0	37	104	0.216
LF	Rickey Henderson	29	140	647	554	118	169	30	2	6	50	93	13	82	54	0.305
CF	Claudell Washington	33	126	485	455	62	140	22	3	11	64	15	6	24	74	0.308
RF	Dave Winfield	36	149	631	559	96	180	37	2	25	107	9	4	69	88	0.322
DH	Jack Clark	32	150	616	496	81	120	14	0	27	93	3	2	113	141	0.242
C	Joel Skinner	27	88	272	251	23	57	15	0	4	23	0	0	14	72	0.227
CF	Gary Ward	34	91	262	231	26	52	8	0	4	24	0	1	24	41	0.225
3B	Luis Aguayo	29	50	149	140	12	35	4	0	3	8	0	2	7	33	0.25
MI	Bob Meacham	27	47	134	115	18	25	9	0	0	7	7	1	14	22	0.217
DH	Ken Phelps	33	45	127	107	17	24	5	0	10	22	0	0	19	26	0.224
2B	Randy Velarde	25	48	125	115	18	20	6	0	5	12	1	1	8	24	0.174
OF	Jose Cruz	40	38	88	80	9	16	2	0	1	7	0	1	8	8	0.2
CF	Roberto Kelly	23	38	84	77	9	19	4	1	1	7	5	2	3	15	0.247
CF	Jay Buhner	23	25	76	69	8	13	0	0	3	13	0	0	3	25	0.188
IF	Wayne Tolleson	32	21	69	59	8	15	2	0	0	5	1	0	8	12	0.254
OF	Hal Morris	23	15	20	20	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	0.1
C	Bob Geren	26	10	12	10	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	0.1
MI	Alvaro Espinoza	26	3	3	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Team Totals	30.6	161	6297	5592	772	1469	272	12	148	713	146	39	588	935	0.263
	Rank in 14 AL teams				2	3	5	4	14	4		2	3	2	11	4

1988 New York Yankees stats (pitching)

Pos	Name	Age	W	L	W-L%	ERA	G	GS	GF	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER
SP	Rick Rhoden	35	12	12	0.5	4.29	30	30	0	5	1	0	197	206	107	94
SP	Tommy John	45	9	8	0.529	4.49	35	32	2	0	0	0	176.1	221	96	88
SP	Richard Dotson	29	12	9	0.571	5	32	29	0	4	0	0	171	178	103	95
SP	John Candelaria	34	13	7	0.65	3.38	25	24	1	6	2	1	157	150	69	59
SP	Al Leiter	22	4	4	0.5	3.92	14	14	0	0	0	0	57.1	49	27	25
CL	Dave Righetti	29	5	4	0.556	3.52	60	0	41	0	0	25	87	86	35	34
RP	Neil Allen	30	5	3	0.625	3.84	41	2	10	0	1	0	117.1	121	51	50
RP	Charles Hudson	29	6	6	0.5	4.49	28	12	10	1	0	2	106.1	93	53	53
RP	Steve Shields	29	5	5	0.5	4.37	39	0	13	0	0	0	82.1	96	44	40
RP	Cecilio Guante	28	5	6	0.455	2.88	56	0	37	0	0	11	75	59	25	24
	Ron Guidry	37	2	3	0.4	4.18	12	10	1	0	0	0	56	57	28	26
	Tim Stoddard	35	2	2	0.5	6.38	28	0	9	0	0	3	55	62	41	39
	Lee Guetterman	29	1	2	0.333	4.65	20	2	7	0	0	0	40.2	49	21	21
	Dale Mohorcic	32	2	2	0.5	2.78	13	0	4	0	0	1	22.2	21	7	7
	Scott Nielsen	29	1	2	0.333	6.86	7	2	1	0	0	0	19.2	27	16	15
	Hipolito Pena	24	1	1	0.5	3.14	16	0	8	0	0	0	14.1	10	8	5
	Dave Eiland	21	0	0		6.39	3	3	0	0	0	0	12.2	15	9	9
	Pat Clements	26	0	0		6.48	6	1	1	0	0	0	8.1	12	8	6
	Team Totals	32.5	85	76	0.528	4.26	161	161	145	16	4	43	1456	1512	748	689
	Rank in 14 AL teams		7	8		12				12	14	6	2	14	11	12

1988 New York Yankees record vs. opponents/ Team splits

Opponent (Games)	Won	Lost	WP
Baltimore Orioles (13)	10	3	0.769
Boston Red Sox (13)	4	9	0.308
California Angels (12)	6	6	0.500
Chicago White Sox (12)	9	3	0.750
Cleveland Indians (13)	7	6	0.538
Detroit Tigers (13)	5	8	0.385
Kansas City Royals (12)	6	6	0.500
Milwaukee Brewers (13)	7	6	0.538
Minnesota Twins (12)	9	3	0.750
Oakland Athletics (12)	6	6	0.500
Seattle Mariners (12)	5	7	0.417
Texas Rangers (11)	5	6	0.455
Toronto Blue Jays (13)	6	7	0.462

1988 New York Yankees monthly record

Month (Games)	Won	Lost	WP
April (23)	16	7	0.696
May (26)	17	9	0.654
June (27)	12	15	0.444
July (26)	15	11	0.577
August (29)	9	20	0.310
September (28)	16	12	0.571
October (2)	0	2	0.000

1988 New York Yankees All-Star

• Dave Winfield
• Rickey Henderson
• Don Mattingly

1988 New York Yankees: Awards and honors

Gold Glove Award: Don Mattingly

All-Star appearances

• Dave Winfield
• Rickey Henderson
• Don Mattingly

Single-Season Record: Rickey Henderson set the Yankees’ single-season record for stolen bases in a season with 93 in 1988.

Other Achievements

• Dave Winfield finished 4th in AL MVP Voting.
• Lou Piniella finished 6th in AL Manager of the Year Voting.

Did the 1988 New York Yankees drink excessively? Rickey Henderson once spoke out

In the wake of the 1988 season, a period marked by both triumph and turbulence for the New York Yankees, Rickey Henderson, famed as “the Man of Steal,” dropped a bombshell on the team. Henderson, known for his prowess as baseball’s greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner, alleged that some members of the Yankees had succumbed to excessive drinking, a claim that sent shockwaves through the clubhouse.

Henderson’s assertions were met with vehement denials from his teammates, who staunchly refuted the idea that alcohol had played a role in the team’s performance. All-Star first baseman Don Mattingly dismissed the allegations, stating that while there might have been isolated incidents, it wasn’t a pervasive problem within the team. Other veterans, including outfielder Dave Winfield and pitcher John Candelaria, chose to remain silent on the matter.

The accusations made by Henderson were vivid and pointed. He claimed, “You would see players all drunk on the plane. You would see them out, and they’re drunk. How can you perform the next day? Liquor does not leave you overnight.” Henderson refused to divulge the identities of the players involved but insisted that the issue persisted throughout the entire season.

The reaction from the Yankees’ camp was swift and sharp. Lou Piniella, who had taken over as manager from Billy Martin in June 1988, acknowledged a ban on hard liquor from the team plane during the final 6-8 weeks of the season. Piniella, now serving as an advisor with the Yankees, expressed skepticism about the gravity of the problem, citing a well-behaved team and regular checks on alcohol consumption.

Players like Mike Pagliarulo and Dave Righetti labeled Henderson’s claims as baseless and accused him of violating a general code of privacy among players. Pagliarulo called it a “stupid thing to say,” emphasizing that everybody played well in the last month of the season. Righetti contended that Henderson’s remarks reflected poorly on the entire team, and the outfielder’s lack of understanding about the consequences could unfairly label the team as alcoholics.

Henderson, undeterred by the backlash, stood by his assertions. He maintained that excessive drinking was detrimental to the team’s performance and suggested that players needed to know when to party and when to abstain. The dispute cast a shadow over the team, with owner George Steinbrenner expressing surprise at the allegations and manager Dallas Green announcing a ban on hard liquor from team flights for the upcoming season.

The controversy surrounding Henderson’s claims added another layer of intrigue to the already messy 1988 season for the Yankees. Whether rooted in truth or perceived as a misplaced critique, the episode highlighted the delicate balance between player privacy and the scrutiny that comes with being part of one of baseball’s most storied franchises.

How do you rate the 1988 New York Yankees?