This year being his 14th season, he hit .288 with 7 HR and 49 RBI.
Although this was a year plagued by hamstring and back injuries along with a viral infection in his right eye, started a team high 117 games.
Beginning on 9/20, finished a season-high 10-game hitting streak (.371).
In the 14 games following the hamstring injury, started just 2 games.
On 5/24 at California, batted cleanup for the only time since 8/11/92 at Detroit, a span of 278 starts between cleanup appearances.
On 6/8 against Oakland he committed 2 errors, both fielding in the 7th inning for just the second time in his career (6/5/89 vs Baltimore.
From 6/24 to 7/28 put together one of his best stretches of the season, hitting .364 with 3 HR, 9 doubles and 16 RBI in 32 games, including a 9 game hitting streak from 6/24 to 7/4 and 7/8 to 7/18.
Recorded his 1000th career hit at Yankee Stadium on 6/24 against Toronto, which was an RBI single in the 8th inning off of Woody Williams.
Only the 4th player to have 1000 hits at Yankee Stadium (Gehrig 1269, Mantle 1210, DiMaggio 1060).
On 6/28 against Detroit, made his only start batting 2nd in the order.
On 7/4 at Chicago, hit his 425 career double, moving past Babe Ruth into second place on the Yankees' all-time list (Gehrig 535).
Pinch-ran for Mike Stanley on 8/6 against Detroit, his first pinch-run appearance since 7/8/83.
On 9/9 vs Boston, scored the 1000th run of his career, becoming the ninth Yankee and the 227th Major League player to reach that milestone.
In his last at bat of the season on 10/1 at Toronto, homered off Pat Hentgen. His first AB of that game was the 7000th AB of his career.
Drove in 17 for 29 runners from third with less than 2 outs.
1994
Hit .304 with 6 HR and 51 RBI while winning his ninth Gold Glove Award.
Was on the disabled list from 6/28 to 7/14 with tendinitis in his right wrist.
Had a season-high 13-game hitting streak from 4/17 to 5/1 (16 for 50, .320)
Tied with Paul O'Neill and Luis Polonia for the longest hitting streak by a Yankee in 1994.
Ejected for only the sixth time of his career on 5/13 at Milwaukee by 3B umpire Tim McClelland for arguing a check-swing strike in his previous AB. Previous ejections: 5/6/88, 8/13/88, 8/7/89, 8/13/91, 9/2/93.
On 7/16 at Seattle became the first LH batter ever to record two 3-hit games off of Randy Johnson.
1993
Hit .291 with 17 HR and 86 RBI while setting a team record for fielding percentage by a first baseman (.998).
Finished the season with 999 career RBI and was on deck when Mike Stanley singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning of the season finale.
From 6/23 to 8/20 put together a stretch of 56 RBI in 51 games.
Went 0 for 21 from 4/21 to 4/25, the longest hitless streak of his career.
Went on the disabled list on 5/14 with a pulled muscle in his left rib cage. Activated from the DL on 6/10.
Began July with a season high 15-game hitting streak from 7/3 to 7/20 (.415, 16 RBI).
1992
Was hitting .292 with 6 HR and 29 RBI at the All-Star break.
Hit his 200th career HR on 7/22 against California, a 3-run HR off Linton in the seventh inning.
Had a controversial HR on 8/15 off of Ben McDonald when a 16 year old fan leaned over the right field wall to catch the ball.
On 11/8/93, Dr. Charles Melone performed minor surgery on his right wrist at New York University Hospital in which he decompressed a tendon and removed a small cyst.
Led the team by hitting .368 with runners in scoring position and .545 (6-11, 14 RBI) with the bases loaded.
Tied Danny Tartabull for the team lead in intentional walks (9).
Hit third in the line-up in every game.
In a post season survey conducted by Baseball America, was voted the fans' third-favorite player behind Frank Thomas and Ken Griffey Jr. and the eigth-best role model.
Posted team-leading numbers in virtually every category, hitting .288 with 40 doubles, 14 HR and 86 RBI.
Had 3 hits on opening day.
In the field at the break, had made one error in 777 chances.
Led the club in games, AB, BA, RBI, runs, hits, doubles, and multi-hit games.
1991
Hit .288 with 9 HR and 68 RBI.
Dislocated his pinky on 5/27 against Boston when sliding head-first into second base on a first-inning double.
Hit in a team-best 16 straight games from 6/18 to 7/3 (.361).
Recorded the 1,500 hit of his career on 7/23 vs Seattle off Randy Johnson.
Named team captain on 2/28, becoming the 10th player ever to captain the Yankees
Injured knee on 5/16.
In game 1 of a doubleheader on 8/13 vs Kansas City, was called out on strikes and then ejected for arguing by HP umpire Joe Brinkman.
Ranked tenth in the AL in intentional BB (11) and eighth in the hardest-to-strike out category, fanning once every 15.4 plate appearances.
Started in 146 games (1B-124, DH-22), second to Steve Sax.
1990
Hit .256 with 5 HR and 42 RBI in 102 games.
Played first base on 7/1 in Hawkins' no-hitter then did not play again before the break because of recurring back spasms.
Missed a total of 7 games, next playing in the first game after the break.
Went on the DL until 9/1.
Went on the DL on 7/25 with lower back pains.
Activated from the DL on 9/11 after missing 47 games.
Missed a total of 54 games due to injury (47 on DL and 7 with back spasms) and the Yankees had a record of 25-29 in those games.
Despite getting only 394 AB, drew a club-best 13 intentional BB (tied for 4th in the AL).
1989
Missed the first three games of the year (at Minnesota) with back spasms and did not miss another game the entire season.
Through the break, hit .313 with 11 HR and 56 RBI.
Hit .291 with 12 HR and 57 RBI after the break.
Became the 6th player in Yankee history to hit .300 or better in 6 consecutive seasons, joining Earle Combs, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth.
Named to his sixth straight All-Star team and won his 5th consecutive Gold Glove Award.
His 17-game hit streak, 6/17 to 7/4, tied for club best (with Steve Sax), and was his fifth career 17-plus consecutive game hit streak.
Was ejected on 8/7 by Jim Morrison in the 8th inning after striking out, his first ejection since 8/13/88.
On 9/12 at California, celebrated playing in his 1000th career game by going 4-4 with a HR, 4 RBI (giving him 100 for the year) and putting his BA over .300 where it would stay.
Ranked second in the AL in RBI (119), hardest to fan (1 K every 23.1 plate appearances) and intentional BB (18).
1988
Did not homer until the 32nd game (5/10 vs Chicago), going 124 AB without a HR.
Suffered a strained muscle in his right side on 5/27 at Seattle during batting practice and went on the 15-day DL.
Ended season with a .993 fielding percentage, fifth-best in the AL (had finished first in the previous four seasons).
Committed a career-high 9 errors.
Named to fifth straight AL All-Star team.
Was the first Yankee to lead club in hits 5 straight years since Mantle(1955 to 1959).
Won fourth consecutive Gold Glove Award.
Third inning single on 7/3 at Chicago off of Bill Long was his 1,000th career hit and became the 33rd Yankee to reach that milestone.
Ejected on 5/6 at Texas by Tim Welke arguing a 9th inning K.
Ejected again on 8/13 at Minnesota by umpire Larry Young in the eighth inning after a check swing strikeout.
1987
During pre-game routine on 6/4 at Milwaukee, injured his back fielding ground
balls.
Injury forced him to be placed on the 15-day DL on 6/9 and was activated
on 6/24. During this absence the Yankees were 11-7.
Upon his return, hit in 18-22 games at .411 (25 runs, 8-2B, 12 HR, 33 RBI),
raising BA to .342.
On July 17th, became the first AL player to hit at least one home run in
each of seven consecutive games as the New York Yankees disposed of the Texas
Rangers, 8-4.
On July 18th, hits a home run in his 8th consecutive game, tying the ML
record set by Dale Long in 1956 (31 years), but the Yankees lose to Texas
7-2. His streak would end the next day when the Rangers romp the Yankees 20-3.
Opponents and Pitchers of Mattingly's 10 HR's in eight games:
July 8 vs Twins: M. Smithson (1st inning - 3-run) and J. Berenguer (6th
inning)
July 9 vs White Sox: R. Dotson
July 10 vs White Sox: Joel McKeon (2nd inning - grand slam)
July 11 vs White Sox: Jose DeLeon (3rd inning)
July 12 vs White Sox: Jim Winn (7th inning)
July 13 - 15 - AS Break
July 16 at Rangers: C. Hough (2nd inning - grand slam) and Mitch Williams
(8th inning - 2 run)
July 17 at Rangers: Paul Kilgus (6th inning)
July 18 at Rangers: Jose Guzman (4th inning)
On 7/20 tied ML record of 22 putouts by a 1st baseman in a 9-inning game,
also held by Tommy Jones (St. Louis Browns, 5/11/06), Hal Chase (N.Y. Highlanders,
9/21/06, G1), and Ernie Banks (Chicago Cubs, 5/9/63).
Hit Major League record sixth grand slam of the season backed
the four-hit pitching of Charles Hudson to lead the New York Yankees to a 6-0 victory over
the Boston Red Sox. Bruce Hurst was the Red Sox pitcher who gave up the home run to Mattingly in the 3rd inning. Roberto Kelly, Rickey Henderson, and Willie Randolph were the men on base when Mattingly hit the grand slam into the third deck.
Twice named AL Player of the Week, for weeks ending 7/12 and 7/19.
Missed games of 7/21 to 7/22 at Minnesota with a slightly sprained right
wrist suffered on 7/18 after hitting hisrecord-tying HR.
On 9/22 at Milwaukee, recorded the 500th RBI of his career, a bases-loaded,
2-run single in the seventh inning off Ted Higuera.
Became first player in the 7 year history of the Elias Sports Bureau 's
report for the MLBPA to compile a perfect 1.000 score, ranking first in each
category used to measure production of first baseman: plate appearances, BA,
OBP, HR, and RBI.
Selected to fourth consecutive AL All-Star Team.
Became the first Yankee to lead club in BA, hits, doubles, and RBI in 4
consecutive seasons.
Also named AL Player of the Month for July, hitting .374 (37-99, 21 runs,
10 HR, 24 RBI).
His .996 fielding percentage was the best in the AL for the fourth straight
year (1,000 total chances).
1986
Finished 2nd in the AL MVP voting behind Roger Clemens.
A mid-season NY Times poll of 417 Major League players named Mattingly the best player in the game.
Led the majors with 238 hits, a .573 slugging percentage, 388 total bases (led ML second consecutive year), 86 extra-base hits for a second consecutive year and 53 doubles (led ML for third consecutive year, the first player to lead AL or ML 3 straight years since Tris Speaker from 1920-23).
His 238 hits broke the former Yankee record of 231 set in 1927 by Earle Combs.
His 388 total bases were most by a Yankee since Joe DiMaggio posted 418 TB in 1937.
Became the 10th player to lead the majors in TB two consecutive years, the first since Mike Schmidt (1980-81) and the only Yankee besides Babe Ruth (1923-24).
His 53 doubles broke the former Yankee mark of 52 set in 1927 by Lou Gehrig.
Tied for first in the AL and tied for third in the majors with 15 game winning RBI's.
Went into the final series of the season chasing Wade Boggs, .357 to .350, in the AL batting race. While Boggs sat out the 4-game set with a sore right hamstring, Don went 8-19 (.421 BA, 5-R, 2-2B, 2 HR and 4 RBI) to raise BA to .352. In order to surpass Boggs he would have need 12 hits in the 19 AB's (BA would have been: Mattingly, .3574; Boggs, .3568).
Became only the eighth Yankee to ever hit at least .352.
Became the first player to lead the Yankees in average, hits, doubles, and RBI three straight years since Lou Gehrig 1932 to 1934.
Through the end of the 1986 played in 282 consecutive games (final 120 of 1985; 162 in 1986).
His .996 fielding percentage led AL first baseman for third consecutive year and is the only Yankee to ever lead the league in fielding percentage 3 straight years at any position.
Led AL first basemen with 160 games and 1483 total chances.
Won second straight Gold Glove Award.
His 79 multi-hit games led the club.
Got his 500th career hit with his first hit of the season on Opening Day, 4/8 vs Kansas City off Dan Quisenberry.
Tied ML record with 3 sacrifice flies on 5/3 against Texas.
Had career-high 24-game hitting streak.
1985
Named American League MVP.
Beat George Brett in the voting, 367 to 274, and received 23 of the 28 first place votes.
Led the majors with 145 RBI, 48 doubles, and 15 sacrifice flies.
Led AL with 370 TB, 21 GWRBI, and 86 extra base hits.
Led AL first basemen with .995 fielding percentage.
Suffered minor tear of medial meniscus cartilage of right knee in February while working with weights at his home. On February 22, underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair the damage.
Had minor surgery on 11/12 on the extensor tendon of his right pinky finger.
1984
Became the first Yankee to win the AL batting championship since Mickey Mantle in 1956.
Battled teammate Dave Winfield until last day of the season, winning .343 to .340.
Was named to first AL All-Star Team in his first full season in the majors.
Led AL with 207 hits, 44 doubles and 59 multi-hit games.
Second with .537 slugging pct.
Top road hitter in league at .364.
Was the first LH Yankee batter to hit .340 since Lou Gehrig hit .351 in 1937.
Led AL first basemen with .996 fielding pct. (5 E, 1236 TC).
1983
Won the James P. Dawson Award as top rookie in spring training.
Was in the starting lineup for the Yankee home opener.
Optioned to Columbus on April 14.
Hit 8 HR with 39 RBI and .346 BA with Clippers before being recalled on 6/20, when Bobby Murcer retired.
Hit first major league HR off John Tudor on 6/24 at Fenway Park.
Hit in 24 of 25 games, 7/13 to 8/11, going hitless (0-2) in both ends (7/24 & 8/18) of th "pine tar" game.
Played a third of an inning at second base in 8/18 conclusion of "pine tar" game.
Played first base on 7/4 when Righetti no-hit Boston.
1982
Named International League All-Star as outfielder.
Was promoted on 9/7 with Steve Balboni, Curt Kaufman, and Mike Patterson.
Made ML debut on 9/8 vs Baltimore, replacing Dave Winfield in left field.
First AB was on 9/11 vs Milwaukee (Jim Slaton).
Notched first career hit on 10/1 vs Boston, an 11th-inning single off Steve Crawford.
Recorded the first RBI of his career, a SF, on 9/29 at Cleveland off Tom Brennan.
1981
Named the Yankees' Minor League Player of the Year.
Led Southern League in doubles.
Named to Topps and Southern League All-Star teams as an outfielder.
