MLB has its second no-hitter of the 2024 season.
Padres right-hander Dylan Cease no-hit the Nationals on Thursday afternoon in Washington, walking three and striking out nine across 114 pitches in San Diego’s 3-0 win.
Cease was at 94 pitches through seven innings when Padres manager Mike Shildt glanced at Joe Musgrove.
“Joe is like, `His stuff is pretty good,’ ” Shildt recalled. “Well, he’s thrown one. He knows what this looks like. We let him ride.”
Cease needed just nine pitches in the eighth and 11 as the Padres completed a three-game sweep.
It’s the first career no-hitter for the 28-year-old, who as a member of the White Sox in 2022 had 8 2/3 no-hit innings against the Twins before it was broken up by his current teammate Luis Arráez.
Cease retired Ildemaro Vargas and Jacob Young on a groundouts for the first two outs of the ninth, then got CJ Abrams to hit a flyout to right on a 1-0 slider.
“My thought was I’m going to throw a slider and I’m going to get it down, and if it’s down he’s either hopefully going to beat it into the ground or he can’t put in play,” Cease said. “I didn’t like it off the bat. It looked very hitterish, but fortunately fate’s on my side today.”
Padres pitcher Dylan Cease celebrates after throwing a no-hitter against the Nationals on July 25, 2024. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY SportsThe no-hitter is the second in Padres history.
“I’ve been close and to finally get it done, it’s one of those things that feels so remarkable and hard to believe,” Cease said. “To be able to do it and go out and experience it, I really don’t even know how to feel. Just happy.”
He worried about the pitch count causing an early end to his outing.
Padres pitcher Dylan Cease (r.) celebrates with teammates after throwing a no-hitter against the Nationals on July 25, 2024. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports“Thankfully, we were able to talk it out,” Cease said. “I just said ‘I feel really good right now. Next inning, if I’m kind of erratic or use up too many pitches, pull me then. But give me a shot, at least.’ Thankfully, we worked it out.”
They were the final MLB team to record a no-hitter when Musgrove got them off the schneid on April 9, 2021.
Cease now has a 3.50 ERA and 168 strikeouts in 131 innings this season.
The Astros’ Ronel Blanco threw the only other no-hitter of the season so far on April 1 against the Blue Jays.
Padres pitcher Dylan Cease (84) is mobbed by teammates after throwing a no-hitter against the Nationals on July 25, 2024. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY SportsSan Diego extended its winning streak to five and improved to 55-50.
— with AP
