Despite losing star player Héctor Espino, the team improved, but a league-wide strike brought an early end to the season.

They had demanded better pay, better contracts and benefits, retirement insurance, and other concessions that club owners were unwilling to give.

This new team included Ivan Murrell, Jesús "Chucho" Sommers, Juan Francisco "Chico" Rodríguez, Henry Cruz, Gener Rivero, Álvaro Soto, Ricardo "Siete Leguas" Sáenz, and was managed by Benjamín Valenzuela.

In 1984, Marcelo Juárez became manager, and with the inclusion of players like Alvin Moore, Jack Pierce, Diego Seguí, and Martín Raygoza, the Bravos finished seventh in the North Division with a 53–71 record.

Benjamin Valenzuela returned as manager for the 1985 season, and a pair of young pitchers, Leo Pérez and Roberto Osuna, gave some stability to the pitching.

This team surprised some people during the first part of the season with aggressive play and batting power (they hit 161 home runs), but they missed the playoffs with a 60–67 record.

Alvin Moore left the team for the 1986 season, and the Bravos added Jimmie Collins, Francisco "Chino" Márquez, and power hitter Eduardo "Tin Tan" Jiménez.

Obed Plascencia took over as manager, and he brought in Eleazar Beltrán and Guadalupe Chávez to reinforce the pitching, Manuel Cazarín as catcher, as well as Ramón Esquer and Roberto Vizcarra.

A major change took place in 1989, with the arrivals of Jaime Orozco, Julio Purata, Willie Aikens, Juan Reyes, Donald Ray Cosey, and manager Francisco "Paquín" Estrada.

Terry Blocker and Ron Shepard were added to the team, and Juan Reyes and Donald Ray Cosey departed.

The Algodoneros' roster included Dave Stocktill, Juan Manuel Palafox, and Cochito Cruz.

Aikens was excellent at the plate, and Esquer, Vizcarra, Cazarin, Blocker, Martín Arzate, and Shepard played good defense.

The team made it to the finals of the South Division, but lost to the Diablos Rojos in seven games.

On November 1, 2016, the Assembly of Presidents of the Mexican League, approved the entry of León, Guanajuato, subject to certain conditions, for the 2017 season.

They finished fifth in the South Division, with a record of 45-60, and won a wild card game at Veracruz to get into the playoffs.

Julio Perez led the team in hitting with a .395 average, and reliever Oswaldo Martinez had the lowest ERA, 1.35.