It has been succeeded by MLB '99, where Vin Scully began calling the games. Starting with MLB 2000, joining him is infielder Dave Campbell on color commentary.
MLB '98 received above-average reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[3] Most critics praised the fluid animation,[4][7][9] comprehensive licensing,[4][7][9] extensive features,[4][7][9] and the usually fast pace of the games.[4][7][11] The two sports reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly both gave it a 9 out of 10, with Kraig Kujawa describing it as "fast-paced, straightforward and (most importantly) fun."[4]GameSpot's Glenn Rubenstein was much less enthusiastic, commenting that while the game has all the expected features, it fails to truly stand out in any area, leaving him certain that a superior baseball game would come out by Christmas.[9]Next Generation said, "There's no denying that MLB '98 is a good, solid baseball game that surpasses Triple Play '98 in many respects. However, in the grander scheme of console baseball, MLB '98 does nothing to advance the genre and can't even clean the cleats of Sega's World Series Baseball '98 for Saturn."[11]GamePro concluded that it "gets rookies into the action right away and can definitely keep the most seasoned veteran hooked for an entire season. If you like your baseball served up arcade-style, MLB '98 is the only game you need to order."[7]
Just a few months after MLB '98 was released, Electronic Gaming Monthly listed it as number 97 on their "100 Best Games of All Time", saying it "has its minor flaws and bugs, but overall it's the best 32-Bit baseball game."[13]
Notes
^In GameFan's viewpoint of the game, one critic gave it 93, and the other 92.
^GamePro gave the game two 4.5/5 scores for graphics and control, 4/5 for sound, and a perfect 5/5 for overall fun factor.
^EGM staff (November 1997). "100 Best Games of All Time". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 100. Ziff Davis. p. 102. Note: Contrary to the title, the intro to the article explicitly states that the list covers console video games only, meaning PC games and arcade games were not eligible.