1998 Detroit Tigers season
| 1998 Detroit Tigers | |
|---|---|
| League | American League |
| Division | Central |
| Ballpark | Tiger Stadium |
| City | Detroit, Michigan |
| Record | 65–97 (.401) |
| Divisional place | 5th |
| Owners | Mike Ilitch |
| General managers | Randy Smith |
| Managers | Buddy Bell, Larry Parrish |
| Television | WKBD (Ernie Harwell, Al Kaline) FSN Detroit (Kirk Gibson, Josh Lewin) |
| Radio | WJR (Frank Beckmann, Lary Sorensen, Jim Price) |
The 1998 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 98th season and the 87th season at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers finished in fifth place in their first season in the American League Central with a record of 65–97 (.401), 24 games behind the Cleveland Indians. The Tigers were outscored by their opponents 863 to 722. The Tigers drew 1,409,391 fans to Tiger Stadium in 1998, ranking 11th of the 14 teams in the American League. The Tigers were the first team to lose to the Tampa Bay Rays when they lost 11-8 in their second game of the season. They ultimately lost 2 of 3 games in the series, resulting in the first series win for the Rays as well.
The Tigers missed the playoffs for the 11th straight season, tying a record set between 1973 and 1983. It was also the team's fifth consecutive losing season. Both streaks would last until 2006.