Last Updated on June 17, 2025 by Matt Musico
Baseball in the late 1990s was pretty cool, especially for kids who didn’t fully comprehend the 1994 strike, the steroid era, and how each impacted the game. I was one of those kids — I just wanted to watch baseball every night and then see as many highlights as possible on SportsCenter the next morning.
While we now know the role performance-enhancing drugs had during the Great Home Run Chase of 1998, it was still exhilarating to follow in real time. We all assumed Mark McGwire was going to be a threat to break Roger Maris’ single-season home run record after slugging 58 dingers in 1997. Ken Griffey Jr. was another solid candidate, as he also hit 58 homers that season.
Someone who kind of came out of nowhere, though, was Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa. And I say “kind of” because his production from 1993-97 speaks for itself. He averaged 34 homers and 100 RBI during this span, which included four seasons of 30-plus homers in five years.
But he never hit more than 40 in a single season during this span. So, watching Sosa go from a very respectable power hitter to one of the best sluggers between 1998 and 2002 was pretty insane.
And it all started with one of the most unreal months you’ll ever see.
Related: A Complete Guide to Single-Season (& Single-Game) HR Performances
The Record-Breaking Month That Changed Everything
The first two months of Sosa’s 1998 campaign were terrific. By the end of May, he was hitting .343/.415/.583 through 234 plate appearances. While his 13 homers and 39 RBI were nothing to scoff at, they certainly didn’t have him in the conversation to pass Maris’ iconic 61 homers.
Until June rolled around, that is. Sosa absolutely went off, more than doubling his season-long homer and RBI totals. He slashed a ridiculous .298/.331/.842 with 20 (!) homers and 40 (!!) RBI. He registered 34 total hits in June, meaning 59% of the time he got a base hit, it left the yard.
What makes this even more incredible? Sosa’s 20 homers in June is still an MLB record for the most homers in one month. It’s a mark that has stood untouched for over 25 years despite today’s launch-angle optimized, home run-happy environment. The closest anyone has come in recent years was Giancarlo Stanton with 18 homers in August 2017 during his 59-homer NL MVP campaign.
Here’s a quick look at Sosa’s monthly OPS, home run, and RBI numbers during 1998:
- March/April: .959 OPS, 6 homers, 17 RBI
- May: 1.041 OPS, 7 homers, 22 RBI
- June: 1.173 OPS, 20 homers, 40 RBI
- July: .897 OPS, 9 homers, 29 RBI
- August: 1.084 OPS, 13 homers, 28 RBI
- Sept./Oct.: .968 OPS, 11 homers, 22 RBI
That June explosion transformed Sosa from a solid everyday player into the co-star of baseball’s most captivating storyline. Suddenly, every Cubs game mattered. Every at-bat carried the potential for history. SportsCenter dedicated entire segments to tracking the race between McGwire and Sosa.
Although Sosa lost the home run chase to McGwire, he still finished with 66 homers, 158 RBI (led the league), 134 runs scored (led the league), and 416 total bases (led the league) to go along with a 1.024 OPS. He was named an All-Star for the second time while also winning his second Silver Slugger Award and being named the National League’s Most Valuable Player.
Sosa’s Next Four Years Were Just As Iconic
Sosa’s production between 1998 and 2002 was insane. He surpassed the 60-homer plateau two more times, but still never led the league in that category during those years. He did win the single-season home run crown in 2000 (50 homers) and 2002 (49 homers). Baseball, man.
I’ve looked at Sosa’s yearly stats during this period countless times, and I’m still amazed every time I see them:
- 1998: 1.024 OPS, 66 homers, 158 RBI
- 1999: 1.002 OPS, 63 homers, 141 RBI
- 2000: 1.040 OPS, 50 homers, 138 RBI
- 2001: 1.174 OPS, 64 homers, 160 RBI
- 2002: .993 OPS, 49 homers, 108 RBI
For those keeping track at home, Sosa hit 292 homers with 705 RBI over these five seasons. He easily led the league in both categories. Barry Bonds was well behind him with 239 homers, while Manny Ramirez had the second-most RBI with 664.
The numbers tell an incredible story: Sosa averaged 58.4 homers per season over five consecutive years. His “worst” season during this stretch still produced 49 homers. These weren’t just good numbers; they were video game statistics that belonged to a different era entirely.
The Cultural Impact Beyond Statistics
Beyond the raw numbers, Sosa’s emergence created a cultural phenomenon that extended far beyond Wrigley Field. His Dominican heritage made him a hero throughout Latin America, while his infectious smile and post-homer celebrations — the hand-to-heart salute and blown kisses to the crowd — turned him into a beloved figure who transcended baseball.
The home run chase of 1998 is often credited with saving baseball after the 1994 strike nearly killed fan interest. Sosa and McGwire didn’t just hit home runs. They reminded America why baseball was the national pastime.
Would Sammy have found a way to put up huge numbers without that historic June during the 1998 season? Well, sure — of course he could’ve. But it’s hard to look at his stat breakdowns and not think it was a springboard to reach the heights he did.
Over 25 years later, the record still stands. In a sport governed by statistics and probabilities, Sammy Sosa’s June 1998 serves as a reminder that sometimes the most incredible stories are the ones nobody sees coming.
What’s your favorite memory from Sosa’s legendary 1998 season? Share your thoughts below!
All Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted.
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