Former Met Butch Huskey Dies at 54; Hit 24 HRs in 1997 Season

Butch Huskey, a seven-year MLB veteran who recorded 336 career RBIs, has died at the age of 54 due to a pulmonary blood clot.

Former Major League Baseball player Butch Huskey died on the morning of Friday, August 14, 2026, at the age of 54. The New York Mets confirmed his passing was caused by a blood clot located in one of his lungs. Huskey concluded his seven-season professional career with a .267 batting average, 86 home runs, and 336 RBIs across 642 total games. During his most productive statistical campaign in 1997, he appeared in 142 games for New York, setting career highs with 24 home runs and 81 runs batted in. The announcement of his death was officially released at 6:28 PM ET.

Key details

Born in Anadarko, Oklahoma, the right-handed slugger was originally selected by the Mets in the seventh round of the 1989 amateur draft. He spent the majority of his professional tenure in Queens, appearing in portions of five seasons for the franchise. His debut occurred in 1993, a year in which he wore jersey number 10. Over the course of his career, he accumulated 578 hits and scored 274 runs. His defensive versatility allowed him to log innings at third base, first base, and in the outfield across both the National and American Leagues.

In 1998, Huskey participated in 126 games for the Mets, contributing 13 home runs and 59 RBIs before moving to the Seattle Mariners. His journey through the major leagues included a stint with the Boston Red Sox in 1999, where he hit .298 with 15 home runs in just 92 games. During his time in Boston, he switched his jersey to number 44. The following year, he split time between the Minnesota Twins and the Colorado Rockies. While playing in Denver for the Rockies in 2000, he donned number 35 and maintained a .348 on-base percentage through 46 games.

Latest developments

Huskey occupies a significant niche in baseball lore regarding the number 42. When Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig retired the number league-wide in 1997 to honor Jackie Robinson, Huskey was among the few active players permitted to keep the digits under a grandfather clause. He wore the iconic number for the Mets from 1994 through 1998. He remains the penultimate player in Mets history to wear 42, followed only by Mo Vaughn, who used the number during the 2002 and 2003 seasons before it was permanently removed from the team's rotation.

Interim Mets manager Andy Green addressed the media on Friday, characterizing the news as a solemn moment for the entire organization. The team issued a formal statement expressing deep sadness regarding the loss of the Oklahoma native. Green noted that the thoughts and prayers of the coaching staff and front office were with the Huskey family. The slugger’s 1997 season remains one of the most powerful individual performances by a Mets outfielder in that decade, highlighted by a .503 slugging percentage.

Throughout his 2,165 career at-bats, Huskey demonstrated significant power, particularly against left-handed pitching. His 1997 breakout included 28 doubles and three triples, contributing to an .837 OPS. Even after his playing days concluded, he remained a recognized figure among the Mets alumni. The sudden nature of his passing due to a pulmonary embolism has shocked the baseball community, as he was only 54 years old at the time of the medical emergency on Friday morning. The franchise plans to honor his memory and his contributions to the club's history during the 2026 season.