On Thursday, Parker Messick, a rookie hurler for the Cleveland Guardians, nearly etched his name into the annals of baseball history.
During his eleventh appearance as a starter in the big leagues, Messick pitched exceptionally well, going eight innings without allowing a hit during the Guardians’ 4-2 victory against the Baltimore Orioles.
The 25-year-old right-hander began the ninth frame having recorded nine strikeouts and given up two walks, accumulating 106 pitches and retiring 24 opposing batters. However, at the start of the ninth, Messick’s quest for a no-hitter concluded when a single from Leody Taveras narrowly eluded Guardians’ second baseman Juan Brito.
Immediately following that, Blaze Alexander hit another single, which brought Messick’s time on the mound to an end. The first-year player was then substituted by relief pitcher Cade Smith.
Both Taveras and Alexander later crossed home plate, adjusting the score to 4-2 and adding two earned runs to Messick’s pitching record.
Messick concluded his performance having thrown 112 pitches, nearing his personal best of 121 pitches achieved during his collegiate career at Florida State, prior to being selected by the Guardians in the second round of the 2022 draft. Prior to this Thursday’s game, his highest pitch count in professional baseball was 99 during a minor-league contest in 2023. In the major leagues, his previous high was 98 pitches in a game from the previous year.
Had Messick successfully completed his attempt, it would have marked the 327th no-hitter ever recorded in MLB. Furthermore, it would have represented the first no-hitter for the Cleveland franchise since 1981.
Major League Baseball endured the entirety of the 2025 season without witnessing a no-hitter, thereby terminating a consecutive 20-year span during which at least one was thrown annually. The most recent instance of a no-no occurred on September 4, 2024—a period of 589 days past—when Shota Imanaga, a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, spearheaded a combined effort against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The MLB will now need to extend its wait somewhat further before this current dry spell is ultimately concluded.
