8 Strange or Interesting MLB No-Hitters

On August 23rd, 2017, Los Angeles Dodgers’ lefty Rich Hill threw nine no-hit innings before allowing a solo home run to Pirates’ outfielder Josh Harrison in the 10th inning. Unfortunately, the lights-out performance by Hill will not count as a no-hitter in the MLB record book, joining the likes of Pedro Martinez and Armando Galarraga as pitchers who kinda-sorta had a magical night.

Rich Hill is a good pitcher, not a great one. His story, however, is a great one, and there is no denying that. In 2015, before his career really took off, Hill was pitching for the Long Island Ducks of the Independent Atlantic League. By baseball standards, this is about as far from the MLB as you can get, so the fact that Hill was able to claw himself to a three-year, $54 million contract in 2016 is remarkable.

While Rich Hill won’t have his name added to the 296 other MLB no-hitters, his performance reminded me of some other interesting no-hitters during my lifetime. Here, I’ll list the most notable, strange, and flat-out newsworthy no-no’s since the 2000 season.

Perfect games not included.

Edinson Vólquez (vs. ARI, June 3rd, 2017)

This was the last no-hitter thrown and the most sentimental on our list. Pitching on the birthday of his former teammate and friend Yordano Ventura, Volquez (as a member of the Marlins) struck out 10 batters and dominated the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Making things even more surreal, before the game, Volquez dedicated his performance to Ventura and his family.

Ventura, who was killed in a car accident in January of 2017, was a teammate of Volquez on the 2015 Kansas City Royals World Series team.

Catcher: J.T Realmuto

Chris Heston (at NYM, June 9th, 2015)

When Chris Heston tossed his no-no in 2015, he was only a rookie. In fact, his magical night came in just his 13th-career start. Heston also did not allow a walk during his no-hitter, instead, the three runners that reached base came on hit-by-pitch’s.

Catcher: Buster Posey (3)

Tim Lincecum (vs. SDP, June 25th, 2014)

What makes this no-no interesting is the fact that it was the second one thrown by Lincecum in less than a year — the first coming on July 13th, 2013. Interestingly enough, both no-no’s came in the twilight of his historic career, years after his dominance from 2008–2011.

Starting with the 2012 season, “The Freak” started faltering and never made another All-Star Game. Although he wasn’t nearly as consistent in his later years, these two no-hitters proved that on a given night he could still be the lights-out arm he once was.

Catcher: Hector Sanchez

Henderson Álvarez (vs. DET, September 29th, 2013)

Of all the pure no-hitters since 2000, Henderson Alvarez is probably the least well-known guy on the list. Alvarez started every game he ever appeared in over five seasons — 92 games — but is currently not on an MLB roster and hasn’t been on one since 2015.

His no-hitter is also notable because it came on the last day of the MLB Regular Season and was the first-ever thrown at Marlins Park.

Catcher: Koyie Hill

Jon Lester (vs. KC, May 19th, 2008)

This no-hitter was awesome for multiple reasons, the first of which being that it was Jason Varitek’s fourth time catching a no-no — a record that has since been tied by Carlos Ruiz. Varitek’s record was aided by the fact that he had just caught Clay Buchholz’s no-no a few months earlier.

Catcher: Jason Varitek (4)

Roy Oswalt, Pete Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel, Billy Wagner (at NYY, June 11th, 2003)

This no-hitter is one of my all-time favorites, not because it was accomplished by multiple pitchers, but because it was done by multiple pitchers in small intervals. Not one of the six arms threw more than three innings, mainly because Oswalt — the starter — was removed due to injury.

Little-known righty Pete Munro had the longest outing of the six pitchers, going 2.2 innings after Oswalt was taken out.

Also, with interleague play being a relatively new idea in 2003, this was the first time an NL team no-hit an AL team. Ironically, the Astros are now a member of the American League.

Catcher: Brad Ausmus

A. J. Burnett (at SDP, May 12th, 2001)

It’s only fitting that a wild-man like A.J Burnett would throw such a wacky no-hitter. Burnett, in only his second start of 2001, no-hit the Padres while striking out nine batters. However, what makes it interesting is the fact that Burnett allowed a then-record seven walks — he also hit a batter.

In a funny twist, every Padres position player reached base.

Catcher: Charles Johnson (3)

Hideo Nomo (at BAL, April 4th, 2001)

Nomo crashed on the MLB scene in 1996 and promptly threw the first-ever no-hitter at Coors Field, while also becoming the first-ever Japanese player to no-hit an MLB team. Five years later, in his first start with the Boston Red Sox, Nomo threw his second no-hitter at Camden Yards. Like his 1996 gem at Coors Field, the 2001 no-no was the first-ever tossed at Camden Yards.

Catcher: Jason Varitek (1)