For the fifth time in Major League Baseball there was a no-hitter. We have not even reached the end of May. On Tuesday, Spencer Turnbull of the Detroit Tigers no-hit the Seattle Mariners 5-0. To put everything into perspective, this is the first time since 1917 that there have been five no-hitters over the first two months of the season.
The other four no-hitters in 2021 came from Joe Musgrove of the San Diego Padres in a 3-0 win over the Texas Rangers on April 9, Carlos Rodon of the Chicago White Sox in an 8-0 win over the Cleveland Indians on April 14, John Means of the Baltimore Orioles in a 6-0 win over the Mariners on May 5, and Wade Miley of the Cincinnati Reds in a 3-0 win over the Indians on May 7. The most no-hitters in a season were eight in 1884.
This is the second time in the last three seasons that the Mariners were no-hit twice in the same year. In 2019, the Mariners were no-hit 13-0 by the Los Angeles Angels and 9-0 by the Houston Astros. In both of those occasions, the Angels and Astros had a combined no-hitter.
Turnbull becomes the sixth Tigers pitcher to throw a no-hitter. He follows George Mullin (1912), Virgil Trucks (two in 1952), Jim Bunning (1958), Jack Morris (1984), Justin Verlander (2007 and 2011).
In the Tigers win over the Mariners, Turnbull had nine strikeouts and two walks. Of the 117 pitches he threw, 77 were for strikes, and 40 were balls. The Tigers were led offensively by third baseman Jeimer Candelario, who hit a home run and a double.
On the season, Turnbull now has a record of three wins and two losses, with an earned run average of 2.88. In his 51 games of Major League Baseball, this was Turnbull’s first career shutout, and first career complete game.
With the win, the Tigers improve to a record of 16 wins and 26 losses. They have now won seven of their last 10, and are not in the basement in the American League Central, as they are one game up on the Minnesota Twins.
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