Joe Torre's 1998 Yankees are generally considered to be one of the best teams in Major League Baseball history, dominating the league and then allowing only one run to a Texas team that had scored 940 during the regular season.

David Wells and Andy Pettitte got the wins and Mariano Rivera saved both tries in Games 1 and 2 at Yankee Stadium, and then, after a rain delay forced 20-game winner David Cone to exit with a 4-0 lead, three Yankees relievers kept Texas scoreless in the clincher at Arlington. Will Clark grounded out to end it, marking the first of two consecutive Division Series in which Johnny Oates' Rangers were swept.

While Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams were a combined 1-for-20, the Yankees had key hits from Shane Spencer (two homers) and Scott Brosius as they moved on to face Cleveland in the ALCS.

This marked the first year that the best-of-five Division Series scheduling format was changed to fortify the home-field advantage, after complaints that it was favoring the lesser clubs coming into the series. From 1995-97, the team with the home-field advantage was on the road for Games 1 and 2, and then it would be at home for all remaining games.

Path to the ALDS: New York (114-48) won the AL East by 22 games; Texas (88-74) won the AL West by three games

Managers: Joe Torre, NYY; Johnny Oates, TEX