Matt Luke
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1996-1999)
Matt Luke was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1996 to 1999 for 4 teams, including the New York Yankees, a span of 4 seasons. In 123 career games, he hit .242 with 65 hits, 15 home runs, and 40 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'5" / 220 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1996-04-03
- Last Game
- 1999-09-30
Full name: Matthew Clifford Luke
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 123 | 269 | 39 | 65 | 12 | 1 | 15 | 40 | 2 | 19 | 70 | .242 | .293 | .461 | .754 | -158 |
Career AVG .242 vs. league average .269 across their career seasons — 10.2% below league average.
Career OBP .293 vs. league average .340 across their career seasons — 13.8% below league average.
Career SLG .461 vs. league average .427 across their career seasons — +8.0% above league average.
Career OPS .754 vs. league average .767 across their career seasons — near league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | NYA | AL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1998 | LAN | NL | 33 | 77 | 10 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 18 | .286 | .266 (+7%) | .335 (-7%) | .420 (+17%) | .755 (+7%) | 63.0 |
| 1998 | CLE | AL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 63.0 |
| 1998 | LAN | NL | 69 | 160 | 24 | 34 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 23 | 2 | 14 | 42 | .212 | .266 (-20%) | .335 (-17%) | .420 (+1%) | .755 (-7%) | 63.0 |
| 1999 | ANA | AL | 18 | 30 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 10 | .300 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 5 seasons | 123 | 269 | 39 | 65 | 12 | 1 | 15 | 40 | 2 | 19 | 70 | .242 | — | — | — | — | 189 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (123 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 58 | 124 | 14 | 22 | 7 | 15 | .177 |
| Away | 65 | 145 | 25 | 43 | 8 | 25 | .297 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-30 | LAA | OAK | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-09-28 | LAA | OAK | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-09-26 | LAA | SEA | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-09-21 | LAA | TBR | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1999-09-19 | LAA | BAL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1999-09-17 | LAA | BAL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-09-16 | LAA | KCR | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1999-09-14 | LAA | KCR | W | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-09-11 | LAA | MIN | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1999-09-05 | LAA | NYY | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 22 |
| Left Field | 52 |
| Right Field | 18 |
| Designated Hitter | 1 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | ANA | AL | $250,000 |
| 1998 | LAN | NL | $170,000 |
| 1996 | NYA | AL | $109,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $529,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California - Berkeley | Berkeley | CA | 1990, 1991, 1992 |
Matt Luke: the record in brief
Matt Luke played a first major league game on April 3, 1996 and a last one on September 30, 1999. The season rows list, in order, the New York Yankees (1996), the Los Angeles Dodgers (1998), the Cleveland Indians (1998), and the Anaheim Angels (1999). Luke, born on February 26, 1971, in Long Beach, CA, USA, is listed as an outfielder and threw and hit left-handed. The bio gives 6 feet, 5 inches and 220 pounds. Matt Luke was the playing name; the full given name is Matthew Clifford.
Across 123 games at the plate, Luke's career line reads 65 hits in 269 at bats for a .242 average, adding 15 home runs and 40 RBI. Luke got on base at a .293 rate and slugged .461 (.754 OPS). Set against a .269 league average for the same years, Luke's .242 average sits 10.2% below it. The hits column peaks at 34, in 1998. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .212 in 1998, did not top the league's .266.
Frequently Asked Questions about Matt Luke
- What years did Matt Luke play?
- Matt Luke played in Major League Baseball from 1996 to 1999.
- Was Matt Luke a pitcher?
- No. Matt Luke was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Matt Luke hit?
- Matt Luke hit 15 career home runs with 65 hits.
- What was Matt Luke's career batting average?
- Matt Luke batted .242 over his career, with 65 hits in 269 at bats.
- How many RBI did Matt Luke have?
- Matt Luke drove in 40 runs in his career.
- Is Matt Luke in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Matt Luke has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.