Spencer was first called up to the major leagues in 1998 at the age of 26, in the midst of a famously dominant season by the Yankees. He first played briefly in April, then endeared himself memorably to fans in September by hitting 10 home runs, including three grand slams, then a record for Major League Rookies, until it was broken by Alexei Ramírez in 2008. Spencer accomplished the feat in only 67 at-bats, earning him a spot on the Yankees postseason roster.\n', '

Additionally, Spencer was nicknamed Roy Hobbs in reference to the protagonist in The Natural, because he hit many home runs and was older than most rookies when brought up to the majors. \n', '

In the postseason, Spencer hit a long home run in Yankee Stadium during the 1998 American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers as the Yankees went on to win the World Series.\n', '

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