The 1992 Major League Baseball season saw the
Toronto Blue Jays defeat the
Atlanta Braves in the World Series, becoming the first team outside the United States to win the
World Series.
A resurgence in pitching dominance occurred during this season. On average, one out of every seven games pitched this season was a shutout; in 2,106 MLB regular-season games, 298 shutouts were pitched (up from 272 in 2,104 regular-season games in 1991).[1][2] Two teams pitched at least 20 shutouts each; the
Atlanta Braves led the Majors with 24 and the Pittsburgh Pirates finished second with 20. In the National League, no team hit more than 138 home runs and no team scored 700 runs. The
San Francisco Giants were shut out 18 times, the most in the Majors.[3][4] The effect was similar in the American League. In 1991, two AL teams had scored at least 800 runs and three had collected 1,500 hits.[5] In 1992, no team scored 800 runs and only one reached 1,500 hits.[6] The
California Angels were shut out 15 times, the most in the AL.[7]
March 2 –
Chicago Cubs second baseman
Ryne Sandberg becomes the highest-paid player in major league history when he agrees to a four-year contract extension worth $28.4 million.
March 17 – Pitcher
Hal Newhouser and umpire
Bill McGowan are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.
July 7 –
Andy Van Slyke of the
Pittsburgh Pirates becomes the first outfielder in nearly 18 years to record an unassisted double play, in the Pirates' 5–3 win over the
Houston Astros. Van Slyke races in from center field to catch a fly ball, then continues in to double up
Ken Caminiti, who was running from second base on the play.
July 14 – The
American League pounds out a record 19 hits in defeating the
National League by a score of 13–6 in the
All-Star Game. It is the AL's fifth straight win.
Seattle Mariners outfielder
Ken Griffey Jr., who hit a single, a double and a home run, is named the MVP, 12 years after his father
Ken Sr. won the same honor.
August 28 – The
Milwaukee Brewers lash 31 hits in a 22–2 drubbing of the
Toronto Blue Jays, setting a record for the most hits by a team in a single nine-inning game.
Darryl Hamilton leads the way for the Brewers, going 4-for-7 with 5 RBI.
September 7 – After receiving an 18–9 no-confidence vote from the owners, Commissioner
Fay Vincent is forced to resign. Vincent is soon replaced by
Milwaukee Brewers president
Bud Selig on what is meant to be an interim basis.
September 26 –
Bill Pecota becomes the first position player for the
New York Mets to pitch in a game, giving up a home run in the 8th inning as the
Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Mets 19-2.[34]
October 24 – The
Toronto Blue Jays clinch their first
World Series championship with a 4–3 win over the
Atlanta Braves in Game 6.
Dave Winfield's 2–out, 2–run double in the top of the 11th gives Toronto a 4–2 lead. The Braves score one run in the bottom half of the inning and have the tying run on 3rd when the final out is made.
Jimmy Key wins the game in relief, and
Candy Maldonado homers for Toronto. Blue Jays catcher
Pat Borders, with a .450 batting average, is named the Series MVP. The
Toronto Blue Jays finish the season without being swept in any series. They are the first team from outside the United States to win the World Series.
November 16 – The Rockies sign free agent first baseman
Andrés Galarraga, who rejoins Don Baylor, his hitting coach with the
St. Louis Cardinals. Galarraga is coming off his second injury-plagued year, having missed 44 days of the season after being hit on the wrist by a
Wally Whitehurst pitch in the 3rd game of the season.