Top 10 Montreal Expos of All Time

This article strictly rates Montreal Expos, which means there are no Washington Nationals. The Expos had a star-crossed history that saw them barely miss out on a World Series in 1981. Maybe even worse was the strike of 1994, which ended a season when many people thought the Expos had possibly the best team in baseball.

10) Dennis Martinez

Martinez was a 3-time all-star in Montreal and led the Major Leagues in ERA in 1991; that same year, he threw a perfect game. Martinez was an innings eater who went on to have a long and outstanding career.

MON@LAD: Dennis Martinez completes a perfect game

9) Tim Wallach

Wallach spent over a decade in an Expos uniform and was named to the NL All-Star team five times, winning three Gold Glove awards and two Silver Slugger awards. He was an underrated player who never got the credit he deserved.

Tim Wallach sets Montreal record with 114th RBI

8) Pedro Martinez

Martinez was an Expo for only four years. Martinez won his first of three Cy Young Awards in his final year with the team. During that season, Martinez was absolutely nasty. He posted a 17-8 record, but just a 1.90 ERA, with four shutouts and 13 complete games. He also led the league with a 0.932 WHIP, averaging more than eleven strikeouts per nine innings. He would end up being one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.

When Pedro Martinez Was On The Montreal Expos

7) Larry Walker

In the 1992 season, Walker batted .301/.353/.506 and rated ten runs above average while fielding, with 16 outfield assists, for a total value of 5.4 WAR. He won his first both of Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award and became the first and only Canadian to win the Expos Player of the Year award. Walker received consideration for the Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) for the first time in 1992, finishing fifth in the National League.

1992 09/25 Chicago Cubs 3 at Montreal Expos 4 Walker walkoff HR in 10th!

6) Rusty Staub

In his first year with the Expos, Staub played in 158 games, having 166 hits, 89 runs, 29 home runs, 79 RBIs on a .302 batting average with a .426 OBP and a .952 OPS. He walked 110 times while striking out 61 times. He played 156 games (with 152 complete games, a career-high) in right field for 1,355.1 innings, having 265 putouts, 16 assists, ten errors, and two double plays turned for a .966 fielding percentage. He was named to the All-Star Game for the third straight year, although he did not play. He finished in the top ten for the National League in numerous categories, such as 10th in batting average, 4th in OBP, total bases (289, 10th), walks (3rd), but also right field categories, putouts (2nd), assists, and errors (1st).

The following year, he played 160 games with 156 hits, 98 runs, 30 home runs (career highs) while batting .274 with a .394 OBP and a .891 OPS. He had 112 walks and 93 strikeouts, both career highs. He played 160 games in right field, having 145 complete games in 156 games (a career-high) started for a total of 1,374.2 innings. He had 308 putouts, 14 assists, five errors, four double plays and a .985 fielding percentage. He was named to the All-Star Game for the fourth straight year, having a pinch-hit appearance in the third inning, going 0-for-1.

For 1971, he played in all 162 games. He had 186 hits, 94 runs, 19 home runs, 97 RBIs with a .311 batting average, a .392 OBP, and a .874 OPS. He had 74 walks and 42 strikeouts. He appeared in 160 games in the right field, starting 156 while having 145 complete games for a total of 1,374.2 innings. He had 308 putouts, 14 assists, five errors, and four double plays for a .985 fielding percentage. He was named to the All-Star Game for the fifth straight time, although he did not play.

Remembering Montreal Expos legend Rusty Staub

5) Steve Rogers

Rogers was a five-time All-Star and an ERA champion, the greatest pitcher in Expos history. He is the team leader in multiple categories, including wins, pitched, strikeouts, and started games. I know he was not as good as Pedro, but his length of service in Montreal is much longer, and he impacted the franchise more. Rogers was a stalwart pitcher who led a great rotation in the early 80s.

Montreal Expo Steve Rogers

4) Tim Raines

Raines led the league in steals four times, had six consecutive seasons of at least 70 stolen bases (including 90 in 1983), and swiped at least 40 five other times during his entire career. He was a career .300 hitter who had more walks (1,330) than strikeouts (966), making him one of the best leadoff hitters in history.

PIT@MON: Raines hits for the cycle for the Expos

3) Gary Carter

Carter was one of the greatest catchers in all of baseball history. In his 12 seasons with Montreal, Carter hit 220 of his career 324 homers and walked 582 times while only striking out 691 times. As a catcher, he was a complete backstop. He had a .991 fielding percentage.

1981 NLDS Gm2: Carter’s homer gives Expos 3-0 lead

2) Vladimir Guerrero

In eight years with Montreal, Guerrero hit .323 with 224 (of his career 449) homers and stole 123 of his 181 career bases. Guerrero played for Montreal, made four (out of nine) All-Star teams and received MVP votes six times.

CIN@MON: Guerrero hits walk-off home run against the Reds

1) Andre Dawson

Dawson could do it all, as he proved in his time in Montreal, wherein he averaged 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases every season. On the defensive side, he had a cannon for an arm. In eleven seasons with Montreal, Dawson made four All-Star teams, was Rookie of the Year in 1977 and was the runner-up MVP twice.

(This Week In Baseball) Andre Dawson Montreal Expos Feature (July-1985)