Maddox became just the second free agent in franchise history when he signed with the New York Mets on November 30, 1977. While Mets manager Joe Torre considered Maddox his best defensive center fielder, the one star the ninety loss Mets had in was center fielder Lee Mazzilli. Therefore, Maddox was shifted to right field upon his return to New York. Unfortunately, that return was delayed until the eighteenth game of the season due to a pulled leg muscle suffered in Spring training.