The Oakland A's Bash Brothers, Mark McGwire and José Canseco, symbolized an era of baseball like few others. Long before the Moneyball era reshaped the franchise, the A's were known for brute power at the plate. Over six seasons together, McGwire and Canseco combined for 640 home runs, fueling Oakland’s rise with three World Series appearances and a championship win in 1989. McGwire, the son of a dentist, and Canseco, an immigrant from Cuba, came from opposite backgrounds but formed one of the most feared tandems in baseball. Their home run numbers dominated the league, with one of them leading in homers in five out of the six seasons they shared the lineup.
They celebrated their homers with a forearm bash that became their signature, helping the A’s launch a full marketing push that played off The Blues Brothers. It was bold, loud, and fit the moment. Later in life, both players admitted to using anabolic steroids during their careers, often together, tying their legacy to the steroid era and reshaping how baseball historians remember their numbers.
Their power numbers put them in the conversation with some of the greatest hitting duos in baseball history: Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays and Willie McCovey, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr., and Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge. The Bash Brothers’ run in the late '80s and early '90s is still a benchmark for power-hitting tandems in MLB history. Their larger-than-life presence in popular culture was cemented with The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, a Netflix special by comedy rap group The Lonely Island. Released to mark the 30th anniversary of the A’s 1989 World Series title, the special features Andy Samberg as José Canseco and Akiva Schaffer as Mark McGwire, framed as an absurd 1980s rap album performed by the duo themselves.
1986-1988 Season & 1987 Season
José Canseco was drafted by the Oakland A’s in the 15th round of the 1982 MLB Draft. Early on, he was raw but promising. That changed in late 1984, when he started lifting weights seriously, adding 35 pounds of muscle and transforming into a true power hitter. By 1985, he tore through the minors, climbing from Double-A to Triple-A to the majors in one season. Across all levels, he hit a combined 41 home runs and drove in 140 runs. In his brief major league stint that year, he batted .302 with five home runs in just 29 games, setting the tone for what was to come.
Mark McGwire took a different path, starring at USC where he set the school’s single-season home run record. He played for Team USA in the 1984 Summer Olympics before being drafted in the first round by the A’s. Over the next two seasons, McGwire hit 48 home runs in the minors before making his major league debut in 1986. Though he initially played third base, the A’s moved him to first the following year, and he broke out instantly.
Canseco won American League Rookie of the Year in 1986 with 33 home runs. McGwire followed by winning the same award in 1987, blasting a then-rookie record 49 home runs and leading the entire league in the category. That year, the pair combined for 80 home runs, foreshadowing the dominance they would eventually bring to Oakland’s lineup. The 1987 season also marked a moment of pride for the city, as the All-Star Game was hosted at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum. Though McGwire was the only A’s player selected to the roster, the duo’s potential was undeniable. The Bash Brothers were officially on the rise.
1988 Season & 1988 World Series
José Canseco’s 1988 season was historic. He became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season, earning him a unanimous American League MVP award. He finished the year batting .307 with 42 home runs, 124 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases, cementing himself as the league’s most dangerous all-around threat.
That same year, a new ritual took hold. After each home run, Canseco and Mark McGwire would meet at the plate and slam their forearms together in an “X” formation. The move quickly became known as “The Bash,” and it electrified both fans and media. At the Oakland Coliseum, banners waved with the slogan “Let’s Bash,” and the team’s marketing team embraced the moment.
San Jose’s KICU-TV joined in, teaming up with the A’s to create a parody music video called “Monster Bash,” set to the tune of the 1962 novelty hit “Monster Mash.” It debuted during an April home game against the White Sox and, despite being briefly pulled after a losing streak, it gained traction across local radio formats—everything from Top 40 to talk radio. Eventually, it returned to the Coliseum scoreboard as a staple of the Bash Brothers craze.
At the same time, the Costacos Brothers poster company scrapped their original “Blast Brothers” concept and rebranded it as “Bash Brothers,” drawing inspiration from The Blues Brothers. Instead of standard game shots, the poster stylized McGwire and Canseco with attitude, black suits, and sunglasses. It exploded in popularity, selling more than 50,000 copies in the Bay Area in under three weeks.
The 1988 season ended with the A’s in the World Series, facing the underdog Los Angeles Dodgers. Game 1 delivered a shock to the system. Kirk Gibson, injured and barely able to walk, hit a legendary walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth. The Dodgers rode that momentum and won the series in five games. McGwire and Canseco, red-hot all season, went ice-cold on the game’s biggest stage, combining for just two hits in 36 at-bats.
1989 Season & 1989 World Series
The powerful Oakland Athletics finally captured their crown in 1989.
The 1989 regular season was a statement year for the Oakland A’s. After the disappointment of the ’88 World Series, the team came back sharper, deeper, and more focused. They won 99 games and led the American League West wire to wire, finishing seven games ahead of second-place Kansas City. Pitching, power, and consistency carried them. Dave Stewart won 21 games for the third straight year. Dennis Eckersley was nearly untouchable in the bullpen, posting a 1.56 ERA with 33 saves. Rickey Henderson, reacquired midseason from the Yankees, gave the offense a new gear and led the league with 77 stolen bases.
McGwire and Canseco remained the centerpiece of Oakland’s lineup. McGwire hit 33 home runs and drove in 95, while Canseco added 17 homers in just 65 games after missing the first half with a wrist injury. Despite the limited action, Canseco made an impact down the stretch and into the playoffs. The team wasn’t just top-heavy—players like Carney Lansford, Terry Steinbach, and Dave Henderson all contributed to one of the most complete rosters in baseball.
In the ALCS, the A’s faced the Toronto Blue Jays and made quick work of them, winning the series in five games. Stewart dominated Game 1 and Game 5, earning MVP honors, while Oakland outscored Toronto 24–13 over the series. It was clear the A’s had unfinished business.
In the World Series, the A’s squared off against their Bay Area rivals, the San Francisco Giants. What should have been a regional baseball celebration quickly turned somber. Just minutes before Game 3 was set to begin at Candlestick Park, the Loma Prieta earthquake struck the region. The 6.9-magnitude quake caused widespread damage and claimed 63 lives. The World Series was paused for 10 days while the Bay Area recovered, with baseball taking a distant back seat.
When the games resumed, Oakland wasted no time reasserting its dominance. The A’s swept the Giants in four games, completing one of the most decisive World Series performances in modern history. Canseco and McGwire bounced back from their struggles the year before, contributing both power and presence. But it wasn’t just the Bash Brothers—Oakland’s entire roster delivered. From Dave Stewart’s pitching to Rickey Henderson’s explosiveness, the team looked unstoppable.
1990 Season & 1990 World Series
The 1990 season marked the Bash Brothers’ fourth full campaign together, and by now, comparisons to all-time great power duos were becoming routine. Both were still in their mid-20s, with most of their careers ahead of them, and their production showed no signs of slowing.
Oakland finished the regular season with 103 wins—their third straight year leading the league in victories. No other major North American pro team would repeat that feat until the Golden State Warriors did it in 2017. The A’s roster was loaded. Rickey Henderson had an MVP season, hitting .325 with 28 home runs and 65 stolen bases. McGwire hit 39 home runs and drove in 108; Canseco added 37 homers and 101 RBIs. Together, the Bash Brothers drove in 209 runs.
The lineup around them only deepened. Oakland brought in All-Stars Willie Randolph, Harold Baines, and Willie McGee to join a core that already included Carney Lansford, Dave Henderson, and Terry Steinbach. Eight of their nine postseason starters had been All-Stars between 1988 and 1990. It was arguably the most complete roster in baseball.
Their raw power was on full display all year. Canseco hit an estimated 480-foot home run at Toronto’s Skydome in ’89, but McGwire one-upped him the following year with a shot measured at 488 feet—two of the longest ever recorded in that park. These weren’t just home runs—they were events.
Despite the dominant regular season, the A’s ran into trouble in the 1990 World Series. Matched up against the Cincinnati Reds, Oakland was outplayed from the start. Cincinnati’s pitching staff—anchored by starters like Jose Rijo and a shutdown bullpen nicknamed “The Nasty Boys”—kept the A’s off balance all series. McGwire and Canseco combined to go just 4-for-26, and Oakland was swept in four games.
The loss didn’t erase what the Bash Brothers accomplished that year, but it did mark the beginning of the end for the A’s dynasty. The power was still there, but the window was starting to close.
1991 Season
The 1991 season marked a turning point for the Oakland Athletics. After three consecutive World Series appearances, the team finished fourth in the AL West with an 84–78 record, missing the playoffs .
Despite the team's overall performance, José Canseco had an impressive individual season. He led the American League with 44 home runs, tying with Cecil Fielder for the league lead . Canseco also achieved 122 RBIs and a .915 OPS, showcasing his continued power-hitting prowess. Notably, he reached his 200th career home run during this season.
However, the Athletics' performance was inconsistent. They had a strong home record of 47–34 but struggled on the road with a 37–44 record, which contributed to their fourth-place finish in the division . Despite individual achievements, the team's overall performance in 1991 highlighted the challenges they faced during that season.
McGwire struggled with injuries in 1991. Specifically, he battled back and knee issues, which hindered his power production. These injuries caused him to miss some games and affected his ability to perform at the same level he had in previous years.
McGwire's numbers reflected this decline—he hit only 22 home runs in 1991, a sharp drop from his previous seasons. His batting average also fell to .201, one of the lowest of his career.
1992 Season
The 1992 season marked the beginning of the end for Mark McGwire and José Canseco in Oakland.
Canseco, who had been a key part of the Athletics' lineup, was traded mid-season, which felt like the final chapter for the pair. At the time of the trade, Canseco was hitting .246 with 22 home runs, far from the dominating slugger he had been in the late '80s and early '90s. The A’s, however, were still in the playoff race and finished the regular season with an impressive 96–66 record, making it back to the postseason.
But the A's were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual World Series champions, the Toronto Blue Jays. This early exit only added to the sense of change within the organization.
On August 31, 1992, Canseco was traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Jeff Russell, Rubén Sierra, Bobby Witt, and cash. This marked the official end of the Bash Brothers era in Oakland, as Canseco, the more outspoken of the pair, moved on to a new chapter of his career.
Meanwhile, McGwire continued to show his power. He finished the season with 42 home runs and 104 RBIs, remaining a dominant force in the Athletics' lineup. However, McGwire’s career would soon be marred by injuries. Over the next few years, he struggled with nagging injuries but still managed to post solid power numbers. In 1996, he hit a career-high 52 home runs, but it wasn’t until 1997 that McGwire and Canseco would reunite in St. Louis, bringing the iconic duo back together for one more chapter.
1997 Season
In 1997, the Bash Brothers briefly reunited when José Canseco was traded back to the Oakland A’s for pitcher John Wasdin. This marked a nostalgic return for A’s fans, as the pair had once dominated the league with their explosive power. At this point, the A’s had been struggling for several years, with a combined 196–224 record over the previous three seasons. However, the acquisition of Canseco reinvigorated the team, both on the field and in terms of fan engagement, boosting ticket sales significantly.
McGwire had just come off a historic 52-homer season, leading the majors in home runs, and Canseco, though no longer in his prime, still posed a formidable threat at the plate with his power. Unfortunately, the reunion was short-lived. McGwire’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season, and midway through 1997, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for pitchers T. J. Mathews, Eric Ludwick, and Blake Stein.
Canseco's season with the A's didn’t live up to expectations. He put up ordinary numbers, failing to reclaim his former superstar status. In the offseason, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, marking his fourth team in as many years. Despite the brief and somewhat underwhelming reunion, the two combined for 617 home runs during their time together in Oakland, cementing their place in baseball history as one of the greatest power-hitting duos of all time.
Aftermath & Post Career
In 1998, José Canseco had a strong season with the Toronto Blue Jays, playing in 120 games and reaching 100 RBIs for the first time since 1991. He finished the season with 46 home runs, 107 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases, marking his last big year before becoming a journeyman designated hitter. Canseco retired in 2002, 38 home runs short of the 500 milestone he had hoped would secure his Hall of Fame candidacy. After struggling to find a team, he accused major league clubs of blackballing him and wrote the controversial book Juiced, in which he claimed he and Mark McGwire used steroids together while with the Oakland A's. McGwire initially denied the allegations but later admitted to steroid use in 2010. Canseco expressed regret for writing the book and apologized to McGwire in 2014, but McGwire has since rejected attempts at reconciliation, leaving their relationship strained by the revelations.
Mark McGwire hit 70 home runs in 1998, breaking Roger Maris' long-standing major-league record of 61. This remarkable achievement was the peak of a four-year stretch from 1996 to 1999, during which McGwire blasted 245 home runs. However, McGwire's career took a significant turn when he was traded from the Oakland Athletics to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1997, marking the end of his time with the A’s. He finished his career with 583 home runs and set the record for the best at-bats per home run ratio in major league history, averaging one homer every 10.6 at-bats. McGwire was widely considered a Hall of Fame candidate until allegations of steroid use emerged, which cast a shadow over his legacy and ultimately complicated his induction prospects.
On September 28, 1988, sports columnist Thomas Boswell of The Washington Post appeared as a guest on CBS News Nightwatch and accused José Canseco, who was on his way to winning the MVP award that season, of being "the most conspicuous example of a player who has made himself great with steroids.
During his home run record chase in 1998, McGwire was spotted by Steve Wilstein of the Associated Press with a bottle of androstenedione in his locker, a substance he later admitted to using. Andro, an over-the-counter bodybuilding supplement, was a type of anabolic steroid that had been banned in other sports but was not yet prohibited in baseball. McGwire defended his use of the substance, claiming, “Everybody that I know in the game of baseball uses the same stuff I use.” After setting the home run record, he announced he had stopped using andro to avoid setting a bad example for young fans. The discovery of the bottle was initially dismissed by the public as a case of a prying reporter.
Despite the controversy surrounding their careers, few power hitters in MLB history have had the lasting impact that McGwire and Canseco had on baseball. Their time in Oakland remains iconic, with their formidable presence and achievements still etched in the legacy of the game.