Several players had come close to breaking Maris's record in the years before 1998. Before the 1994 season was cut short, Matt Williams of the San Francisco Giants and Ken Griffey Jr. of the Seattle Mariners were both on a pace which threatened Maris's record: they hit 43 and 40 home runs respectively in a season which was shortened by approximately 50 of the scheduled 162 games. In 1995, Albert Belle became the first player since Cecil Fielder in 1990 to hit 50 home runs in a season.
Several players had come close to breaking Maris's record before 1998, including Matt Williams and Ken Griffey Jr., who both threatened Maris's record during the shortened 1994 season. In 1995, Albert Belle became the first player since Cecil Fielder in 1990 to hit 50 home runs in a season.