Did Michael Jordan play in MLB? Exploring NBA legend's alternate career timeline

Following the murder of his father, Michael Jordan began pondering about shifting into a baseball career.

So as shocking as his decision to retire from the NBA was, Jordan announced in 1994 that he would enter the world of professional baseball.

Jordan signed a contract with the Chicago White Sox of the MLB. The White Sox are owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, who also owns Michael Jordan's old NBA team, the Chicago Bulls.

However, Jordan was assigned to the White Sox's minor-league affiliate, the Birmingham Barons in the Double-A ranks.

His one-and-done stint with Birmingham was not that impressive for someone who wanted to fulfill his father's wish of cracking the MLB.

Jordan only went .202 in his batting average, made 51 runs batted in and bagged three home runs. He was also struck out 114 times with 11 errors.

He also tried his luck in the Arizona Fall League, but he only finished with a .252 batting average against some of the players who would become MLB stars in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Needless to say, Jordan wasn't fit for baseball at all even if he wanted to honor his late dad.

Michael Jordan eventually returned to basketball

Luckily for Michael Jordan, the MLB went on a strike that canceled the rest of the 1994 season.

He didn't want to be a replacement player, that is, someone who is signed on just to play while the player union is on strike with a certain league.

When the initial proposal to have replacement players play in spring training was approved, Jordan plotted a plan to return to the NBA.

On March 18, 1995, Jordan issued a press statement to NBA beat writers that curtly read,

"I'm back!"

The rest, as they say, was history once again for arguably the greatest basketball player of all time -- from leading the Bulls' 72-10 charge in 1996 to completing the Bulls superteam's last dance.