The Toronto Blue Jays defended their World Series title in 1993 by defeating the Philadelphia Phillies on the heels of an epic home run off the bat of slugger Joe Carter. The following season it appeared the Blue Jays may pass the championship torch to their counterpart to the east.
When the 1994 work stoppage took effect the Montreal Expos were sitting in first place in the National League East with an impressive 74-40 record. Montreal was six-games up on the second-place Atlanta Braves and had won 12 of their last 14 when the strike commenced.