 The season was cut short by the infamous 1994 player's strike, which wiped out any postseason aspirations for their first postseason appearance since losing the 1981 World Series and that their star player and captain, Don Mattingly, had.On the day the strike began, the team had a record of 70-43, games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles, the best record in the American League and the second-best record in Major League Baseball.The Yankees were on pace to win at least 100 games for the first time since 1980.