Combined No-Hitters Are Stupid

Also in today’s Five-Tool Newsletter, we look at catchers Christian Vázquez and J.T. Realmuto and preview tonight’s Game 5.

Rafael Montero, Bryan Abreu, Cristian Javier, Christian Vázquez and Ryan Pressly pose for a photo after the Astros combined to no-hit the Phillies in World Series Game 4 :: David J. Phillip/AP

Last night, in the Astros’ 5–0 win over the Phillies in Game 4, a team had no hits in a World Series game for just the second time in history. Except, it didn’t feel like history, at least not in the type of history that will go down in World Series lore.

It lacked the rising anticipation that completely overtakes all five of our senses as the game progresses. It lacked the euphoric outcry that explodes from the depths of the baseball fan’s soul upon the final out in a hitless game. It lacked the blissful comedown from the ultimate high of witnessing a monumental triumph.

And that’s a shame. Not because we should universally recognize combined no-hitters as all-time achievements—we most definitely should not do that—but because the whole “makes history” narrative of combined no-hitters unnecessarily overshadows all of the other key moments in a game. This is especially true for this combined no-hitter, because it came during the World Series, in a game that evened the series, 2–2, and immediately followed a night in which the Phillies had seemingly snatched all momentum from the mighty Astros. It came during a game in which four Houston pitchers silenced the loaded Philadelphia lineup, which entered the night averaging seven runs per game at home this postseason.

The beauty of most no-hitters is that they are individual accomplishments, that one pitcher is so dominant that he could take down an entire opposing team. Yes, most pitchers will give credit to their catcher and the fielders behind them—and there are plenty of times when one of those fielders makes a tough play to keep the no-hitter intact—but there’s still only one person on the mound and only one name that goes into the record books for pitching a no-hitter.

A no-hitter loses its luster when it takes two or three or more pitchers to complete it. The Astros understand this. Here’s what Stephanie Apstein wrote in her column from last night’s game:

“The players’ somewhat muted celebration afterward—no dogpile, just some animated handshakes—indicated that they regarded the four-pitcher effort more as a victory than as a moment in history. That image will probably not match the one of the Yankees’ Don Larsen flinging himself into the arms of Yogi Berra in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series against the Dodgers.”

Focusing primarily on the combined no-hitter also undersells the excellence of Cristian Javier, the Astros’ righthander with the phantom fastball who baffled the large lovable lads who crush dingers over the first six innings. If, say, the line drive that Jean Segura ripped to right field (expected batting average .910) with two outs in the eighth off Rafael Montero had found the outfield grass—and thus ended the no-hitter—would we have thought anything less of Javier’s outing? Of course not. If anything, we would have given it more consideration.

Indeed, Javier’s throwing six hitless innings is the most impressive accomplishment of the night. He is the first starting pitcher to throw six no-hit innings in a World Series game since Jerry Koosman in 1969, and the 10th to do it overall. Only three of the pitchers in that group left the game without allowing a run: Javier, Larsen and Monte Pearson, whose no-hit bid in Game 2 of the ’39 World Series ended with one out in the eighth. (Pearson completed the game to secure a two-hit shutout.)

Javier also is one of only six starters ever to pitch at least six scoreless innings while allowing no more than one hit in a World Series game. The other five? David Cone (1999 Game 2), Tom Glavine (’95 Game 6), Jim Lonborg (’67 Game 2), Claude Passeau (’45 Game 3) and Larsen.

It isn’t all that remarkable, though, that Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly each were able to throw one hitless inning. If you include the postseason, Abreu has done this in 47.2% of his career relief appearances, Montero in 66.5% and Pressly in 59.1%. Last night was the second time they’ve done it together this postseason. They did their jobs about as well as possible, but their performances weren’t historic.

The four Astros pitchers shut down an incredibly hot Phillies lineup while playing a must-win game in a hostile environment. That’s how we should remember last night.

Have any questions or comments for our team? Send a note to mlb@si.com.

1. THE OPENER

Ryan Pressly and Christian Vázquez after the final out of World Series Game 4 :: Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports

“While the rest of the baseball world was arguing about the relative merits of a combined no-hitter, the man who combined with no one to catch it was signing a baseball bound for the Hall of Fame.”

That’s how Stephanie Apstein begins her column about last night’s game, the piece I quoted from earlier in the newsletter. Here, she writes about the one player whose individual achievement in the combined no-hitter is undeniable, catcher Christian Vázquez.

Astros Catcher Christian Vázquez Earns an Outsized Piece of No-Hit History by Stephanie Apstein
The backup backstop juggled the preferences and personalities of four pitchers to help Houston hurl just the second no-hitter in World Series history.

2. ICYMI

Let’s get you caught up on our two other stories from Game 4.

Cristian Javier Rides His ‘Invisi-Ball’ to a Storybook World Series Win by Tom Verducci
Houston’s Game 4 starter turned back the clock and etched his name into the history books behind the ride of an unhittable fastball.

Phillies’ Night Unravels After Aaron Nola’s Final Batter by Emma Baccellieri
Philadelphia lost World Series Game 4 because the Astros threw a no-hitter, but the righthander felt he had a chance to change that fate. Then everything spiraled.

3. NOTEWORTHY TRIVIA from Matt Martell

Here’s the question from yesterday’s newsletter: J.T. Realmuto is about as close to a five-tool player as you’ll find at his position. This year he became just the second catcher in MLB history with 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season. Can you name the other one? (Bonus points if you can name the year of his 20/20 campaign.)

The answer: Iván Rodríguez in 1999.

Pudge batted .332/.356/.558 with 35 home runs, 25 stolen bases and 6.4 WAR. He won the American League MVP, a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger, and was the starting catcher in the All-Star Game.

Realmuto hit .276/.342/.478 with 22 home runs, 21 steals and 6.5 WAR. He was not an All-Star and he will not win NL MVP. He won the Gold Glove and could win a Silver Slugger.

Interestingly, you could make the case that Realmuto had just as great a season as Pudge did, despite the worse slash line and home run total, when you account for how much more difficult it was to hit in 2022 than it was in 1999. When looking at OPS+, which compares a player’s offensive production to the league average player (always 100), Realmuto (129) was the better hitter this year than Rodríguez (125) in his 20/20 season. Realmuto also had a much better stolen-base success rate (95%) than Rodríguez (68%).

4. W2W4 from Will Laws

Astros ace Justin Verlander is back on the bump for tonight’s Game 5 :: Thomas Shea/USA TODAY Sports

After tying up the series at two games apiece, Houston will send Justin Verlander to the hill in Game 5 to try to push Philadelphia to the brink of elimination. The American League Cy Young favorite has had one very good outing and two pretty terrible ones so far in these playoffs, including Game 1 of the World Series, with each coming after at least six days of rest. Perhaps getting on a more normal schedule of five days’ rest—the Astros operated with a six-man rotation for most of 2022—will help him rediscover his regular-season form. They’ve also yet to use Will Smith (the lone lefty in the bullpen aside from expected Game 6 starter Framber Valdez), Hunter Brown, Luis Garcia or former Phillie Héctor Neris at Citizens Bank Park, so manager Dusty Baker has got to feel pretty good about how his ducks are lined up ahead of his team’s final road game of the season.

Philadelphia is also in a fairly good position heading into Game 5, which will be a bullpen game started by Noah Syndergaard. Closer Seranthony Domínguez is the only Phillies reliever who has not thrown in either of the last two games, and Syndergaard has not taken the mound at all yet this series. However, Andrew Bellatti is the only Phillie to have pitched in both Games 3 and 4, and even he only threw nine pitches last night, so manager Rob Thomson should have just about everyone at his disposal ahead of tomorrow’s travel day before Saturday’s Game 6.

5. THE CLOSER from Matt Martell

Let’s just acknowledge what a great quote Nick Castellanos is postgame. Last night, after the Phillies got no-hit, he said, “Whatever has happened has happened. Everything that is good is over with and everything that is bad is over with.”

Upon seeing this quote online, Kara Fagan, a Cubs fan, tweeted out a video of Castellanos talking to reporters back in 2019, when he was playing with Chicago. “Why is today not Opening Day?” Castellanos asks the reporters interviewing him.

A reporter responds: “Because it’s not Opening Day.”

Castellanos: “Prove to me that it’s not.”

Reporter: “Well, your record.”

Castellanos: “Well, that’s only if you believe your record. You know? It’s kinda the mentality like, If what has happened is a memory, and what’s going to happen is a thought, you’re taking yourself out of right now. So in that case, every day is Opening Day.”

What a legend.

That’s all from us today. We’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow. In the meantime, share this newsletter with your friends and family, and tell them to sign up at SI.com/newsletters. If you have any questions or comments, shoot us an email at mlb@si.com.