As the focus of baseball shifted to the Trade Deadline, Framber Valdez and the Houston Astros reminded us what we should be paying attention to.
Valdez hurled the third no-hitter of the 2023 MLB season and the 16th in franchise history.
Domingo German pitched a perfect game in Oakland on June 28th, and Tigers pitchers Matt Manning, Alex Lange, and Jason Foley combined for a no-hitter on July 8th in Toronto.
Christian Javier, Hector Neris, and Ryan Pressly combined for a no-hitter on June 25th 2022. The last Astro pitcher to finish a no-hitter was former New York Met Justin Verlander on September 1st, 2019.
Just hours after Houston reunited with Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander, Valdez and the Astros took the field against the Cleveland Guardians.
The Dominican only allowed one baserunner through the game, walking DH Oscar Gonzalez to lead off the fifth inning. The top of the fifth included 14 pitches from Valdez, the most in a single inning all game.
A fly-out and a double play kept Valdez on pace to face the minimum, which he achieved. He faced 27 batters and threw only 93 pitches, striking out seven.
Since pitch count started being tracked in 1988, only two other pitchers have thrown a no-hitter in fewer pitches than Valdez.
In 1993, Astros pitcher Darryl Kile threw an 83-pitch no-hitter against the New York Mets. Six years later, David Cone threw an 88-pitch perfect game. Kile and Cone are the only pitchers in history to throw a no-hitter in under 90 pitches.
He became the first left-handed pitcher in Astros history that did not allow a base hit through nine innings.
The Astros have recently met up with two of their old friends, bringing back Kendall Graveman and Justin Verlander. They have successfully reloaded as the AL West division title race with the Texas Rangers will be one for the ages.
