The San Diego Padres are no longer the only Major League-team without a no-hitter. And for that, they can thank local product Joe Musgrove, who turned his first career no-hitter on Friday night in a 3-0 win over the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.
Musgrove’s performance, including 10 strikeouts and only one baserunner – on a hit by pitch in the fourth inning – broke the series of regular season games of the Padres without a no-hitter at 8,206.
“It’s great to have it in a Padres uniform,” said Musgrove, who had never thrown a no-hitter before. “It’s unbelievable that it’s the first in franchise history.
Musgrove, 28, retired the first 11 Rangers batters in a row, looted Joey Gallo and retired the next 16. He started the bottom of the ninth on 103 pitches, a worrying pitch-count given the caution that managers are showing their pitchers about a shortened season.
But nine throws later, Musgrove made history.
David Dahl lined out to second baseman Jake Cronenworth, Leody Taveras hit a tapper back to the mound and Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounded out to Ha-Seong Kim, who temporarily injured Fernando Tatis Jr. replaces at short stop.
“There were three different scenarios that I thought I lost,” said Musgrove.
Musgrove, who grew up in El Cajon, California, about 15 miles from San Diego, is in his sixth Major League-season. He previously pitched for Houston (2016-17) and Pittsburgh (2018-20) and had never pitched a complete game in his previous 84 career starts.
“I’m exhausted, man,” he said. “I didn’t get out of that game in any way.” ‘
Musgrove threw 77 of his 112 pitches for strikes.
It was the first no-hitter in the majors this season and only the second complete game.
The final no-hitter of the majors was thrown on September 13, 2020 by the Chicago Cubs’ Alec Mills. His catcher was Victor Caratini, who also was behind the plate for Musgrove.
San Diego acquired the great 28-year-old Musgrove as part of an exchange for seven players and three teams on January 19. He pitched for Pittsburgh last season.
In his debut for San Diego, which came home last Saturday, he struckout eight batters in six scoreless innings against Arizona. He had no walk to win that game, when he threw 57 of 78 pitches for strikes.
It was the fourth time that a no-hitter had been thrown against the Rangers. The last was on April 18, 2007 by Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox.
According to Baseball-Reference, there were 307 no-hitters in MLB history before Musgrove and the Padres. That included 293 individual no-hitters and 14 combined no-nos.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.