The first no-hitter of the 2023 MLB season was perfect. The next was a rare combined feat between three pitchers. The third was the no-hitter that fans are most accustomed to seeing.
Framber Valdez completed the third no-hitter of the 2023 MLB season on Aug. 1 when the Astros hosted the Guardians. Valdez threw just 93 pitches in the victory — the fewest by a pitcher in a no-hitter since 1999 and fewest by a left in a no-no — and struck out seven.
MORE: History of MLB combined no-hitters
Valdez also faced just 27 batters during the game, the minimum required to get through nine innings. His only blemish was a walk to Oscar Gonzalez in the top of the fifth, but Gonzalez was later erased as a part of a double play.
The 2023 MLB season has now nearly matched the four no-hitters thrown during the 2022 campaign. Three of those came in the first half of the 2022 season while one came in the World Series, when the Astros combined to no-hit the Phillies in Game 4.
MORE: Remembering Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956 (TSN Archives)
Here’s everything you need to know about the no-hitters thrown during the 2023 MLB season.
How many no-hitters have been thrown in MLB in 2023?
There have been three no-hitters thrown in 2023. Below is a recap of each of them:
- The Yankees’ Domingo German tossed the 24th perfect game in MLB history, allowing no Athletics players to reach base on June 29.
- The Tigers combined to no-hit the Blue Jays on July 8, with Matt Manning pitching the first 6 2/3 hitless innings with three walks. Jason Foley pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings in relief and Alex Lange pitched a one-two-three ninth to complete the no-no. It was the 20th combined no-hitter in MLB history.
- The Astros’ Framber Valdez tossed the 321st no-hitter in MLB history on Aug. 1 when he shut down the Guardians over nine innings. Valdez threw just 93 pitches, the fewest tossed in a no-hitter since 1999, and faced the minimum 27 batters. He walked one Cleveland player, Oscar Gonzalez, but saw him erased on an inning-ending double play.
MORE: Yankees’ perfect game history
Most no-hitters in a single MLB season
The three no-hitters thrown so far in 2023 are far from the MLB record. That was set in 2021, when a whopping nine no-nos were thrown.
When was the last perfect game in MLB?
There had been a long gap between perfect games before German achieved the feat in the first no-hitter of the 2023 season. Felix Hernandez threw the 23rd perfect game in MLB history on Aug. 15, 2012. It was also the third perfect game of that season.
MORE: What is a perfect game in baseball? All-time list and more to know
While several pitchers have come close over the years, no pitcher finished with a perfect 27 up and 27 down until German on June 29.
TSN’s Jacob Camenker also contributed to this report.
