What If…the 1994 MLB Strike Never Happened?
Sports have many what ifs, where one of the MLB “What ifs?” relates to the 1994 strike that ended the season due to players wanting more money that cut into the 1995 season. MLB teams played between 112-117 games in 1994, and missed 18 games in 1995. The main reason this “What if” is so interesting is because the Montreal Expos (now Washington Nationals) were 74-40 when the season ended. The Expos were having one of their best seasons when the strike occurred.
The Expos would have probably had a record of 105-57, with the Yankees also winning 100 games. The Red Sox would have finished 76-86 and missed the playoffs. The postseason format would have been the three division winners with the best remaining team as the Wild Card. The league used this format from 1995 until 2011.
The Yankees, White Sox (96-66), and Rangers (73-89), along with Cleveland (94-68) would make the AL side. Simply put, the AL West in 1994 was horrible. The NL would have the Expos, Reds (93-69), Dodgers (82-80), and Braves (96-66) make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox were in 4th place in the AL East with a 54-61 record and 17 GB of the Yankees, and 13 GB of the Wild Card spot behind Cleveland.
The Rangers and Dodgers would be easy eliminations, while the other two series would be competitive. Cleveland and the Reds would come out on top. The Yankees would advance to the World Series after winning in six games against Cleveland. In the National League, the Expos and Reds would battle in a classic, with the Reds coming through in seven games. The Reds though, would be finished off in six games by the Yankees in the World Series.
