Whether authored by Nolan Ryan or Mike Scott or Ronel Blanco or a cast of several to nail down a World Series victory, the Houston Astros simply have a way with no-hitters.
And the one they spun Monday, May 25 might have been the unlikeliest of the 18 no-hitters in franchise history.
Tatsuya Imai, their splash free agent pitching acquisition who was so disappointing he was stashed on the injured list just two starts into his career, pitched the first six innings of a three-man relay and relievers Steven Okert and Alimber Santa – making his major-league debut – took care of the final three innings as the Astros subdued the Texas Rangers, winning 9-0 at Globe Life Park in Arlington.
It was the first no-hitter since Shota Imanaga and a pair of Chicago Cubs relievers combined to no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sept. 4, 2024.
Imai walked the first two batters of the game. Santa had never thrown a major league pitch before Monday night. Yet somehow, they started and finished a thorough suppression of the Rangers.
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May 25, 2026: Houston Astros relief pitcher Alimber Santa celebrates with his teammates on the field after Santa combined with Tatsuya Imai and Steven Okert to no-hit the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
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May 25, 2026: Houston Astros relief pitcher Alimber Santa celebrates with his teammates on the field after Santa combined with Tatsuya Imai and Steven Okert to no-hit the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
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Sept. 4, 2024: Shota Imanaga, catcher Miguel Amaya, Porter Hodge and Nate Pearson after the Cubs’ combined no-hitter against the Pirates at Wrigley Field.
(Quinn Harris, Getty Images)
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Aug. 2, 2024: San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell celebrates with teammates after throwing a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.
(Katie Stratman, USA TODAY Sports)
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July 25, 2024: San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease threw a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals. It was just the second no-hitter in franchise history.
(Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports)
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April 1, 2024: The Houston Astros’ Ronel Blanco reacts during his no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays at Minute Maid Park. The Astros won the game, 10-0.
(Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)
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Aug. 9, 2023: Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen reacts after throwing a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. It was the 14th no-hitter in Phillies history.
(Bill Streicher, USA TODAY Sports)
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Aug. 1, 2023: The Houston Astros’ Framber Valdez threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Guardians at Minute Maid Park. It was the 16th no-hitter in Astros history.
(Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)
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July 8, 2023: Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Alex Lange celebrates the last out of a combined no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays. Matt Manning, Jason Foley and Lange combined for the no-hitter.
(Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports)
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June 28, 2023: New York Yankees starting pitcher Domingo German threw a perfect game – the 24th in MLB history – against the Oakland A’s.
(Stan Szeto, USA TODAY Sports)
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Nov. 2, 2022: Houston Astros pitchers Cristian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly combined to throw a no-hitter in Game 4 of the World Series. It was just the second no-hitter ever thrown in the Fall Classic, and the third overall in the postseason.
(Bill Streicher, USA TODAY Sports)
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June 25, 2022: Houston pitchers Cristian Javier (7 IP, 13 K), Hector Neris (1 IP) and Ryan Pressly (1 IP) combined to hold the Yankees hitless at Yankee Stadium.
(Jessica Alcheh, USA TODAY Sports)
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May 10, 2022: Los Angeles Angels pitcher Reid Detmers (48) celebrates with catcher Chad Wallach after throwing a no hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays in a 12-0 win at Angel Stadium. It was the 12th no-hitter in Angels history.
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
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Sept. 11, 2021: Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Corbin Burnes, catcher Omar Narvaez and relief pitcher Josh Hader pose for a picture after the Brewers threw a combined no-hitter in a 3-0 win against Cleveland. Burnes pitched eight innings, striking out 14 and walking just one over 115 pitches. Hader pitched a clean ninth.
(David Richard, USA TODAY Sports)
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Aug. 14, 2021: Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Tyler Gilbert threw a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in his first MLB start. He struck out five and walked three over 102 pitches to record the no-hitter, the eighth in MLB this year, which is a modern-day record.
(Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY Sports)
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June 24, 2021: Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Zach Davies combined with relievers Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel to no-hit the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. This was the 17th no-hitter in Cubs history, but the team’s first-ever combined no-hitter.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)
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May 19, 2021: The New York Yankees’ Corey Kluber (center) celebrates after throwing a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. It was the Yankees’ first no-hitter since David Cone tossed a perfect game on July 18, 1999.
(Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports)
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May 18, 2021: The Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Turnbull celebrates with catcher Eric Haase after throwing a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Turnbull’s no-hitter was the eighth in Tigers history and first for the team since 2011 (Justin Verlander).
(Joe Nicholson, USA TODAY Sports)
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May 7, 2021: Cincinnati’s Wade Miley shut down Cleveland for his first career no-hitter and the Reds’ first since 2012. Miley struck out eight and walked one for a 3-0 win.
(Ken Blaze, USA TODAY Sports)
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May 5, 2021: Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher John Means celebrates with catcher Pedro Severino after throwing a no-hitter in a 6-0 win vs. the Seattle Mariners. Only one runner reached base – on a wild pitch following a strikeout – as Means struck out 12 and walked none over 113 pitches. It was the Orioles’ first no-hitter since 1991 and the first by an individual O’s pitcher since 1969.
(Joe Nicholson, USA TODAY Sports)
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April 14, 2021: Chicago White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon (center) hit just one batter – with one out in the ninth inning – en route to a no-hitter against Cleveland. He struck out seven and issued no walks over 114 pitches in the 8-0 win.
(Kamil Krzaczynski, USA TODAY Sports)
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April 9, 2021: Joe Musgrove tossed the first no-hitter in San Diego Padres history in a brilliant outing against the Texas Rangers. He faced just 28 batters, hitting one and walking none, while striking out 10 over 112 pitches.
(Jim Cowsert, USA TODAY Sports)
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Sept. 13, 2020: Chicago Cubs pitcher Alec Mills threw a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers in a 12-0 win. Mills walked three and struck out five while throwing 112 pitches.
(Michael McLoone, USA TODAY Sports)
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Aug. 25, 2020: Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito tossed the 19th no-hitter in franchise history – striking out 13 and issuing just one walk – in a 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
(Quinn Harris, USA TODAY Sports)
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Sept. 1, 2019: Houston Astros starter Justin Verlander tossed the third no-hitter of his career and the second in Toronto, while striking out 14 hitters and walking one — in the first inning — in the 2-0 win over the Blue Jays.
(Kevin Sousa, USA TODAY Sports)
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Aug. 3, 2019: Four Houston Astros pitchers (Aaron Sanchez, Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski) combined for a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners.
(Thomas Shea, USA TODAY Sports)
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July 12, 2019: Los Angeles Angels pitcher Felix Pena and Taylor Cole combined to throw a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners.
(Kelvin Kuo, USA TODAY Sports)
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May 7, 2019: Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers celebrates after throwing a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds.
(Stan Szeto, USA TODAY Sports)
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May 8, 2018: Seattle Mariners starting pitcher James Paxton celebrates after pitching a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
(Nick Turchiaro, USA TODAY Sports)
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May 4, 2018: Four Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers combined to throw the season’s second no-hitter.
(from left) Walker Buehler, Tony Cingrani, Yimi Garcia and Adam Liberatore combined to hold the San Diego Padres hitless in a 4-0 win at Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico.
(Orlando Ramirez, USA TODAY Sports)
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April 21: Sean Manaea (55) reacts after pitching a no hitter against the Boston Red Sox at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiel Maddox-USA TODAY Sports
(Kiel Maddox, USA TODAY Sports)
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June 3, 2017: Edinson Volquez tosses the sixth no-hitter in Marlins history, facing the minimum 27 batters and beating the Diamondbacks 3-0.
Volquez (2-7) struck out 10, and the two baserunners who reached on walks were erased by double plays.
(Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports)
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April 21, 2016: Cubs ace Jake Arrieta threw his second no-hitter in 11 regular-season starts, shutting down the division rival Reds in a 16-0 rout.
(Jamie Sabau, Getty Images)
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Oct. 3, 2015: Nationals’ Max Scherzer becomes just the sixth pitcher to throw two no-hitters in a year, and the first since Roy Halladay in 2010.
(Andy Marlin, USA TODAY Sports)
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Aug. 30, 2015: Jake Arrieta pitches the sixth no-hitter in the majors this season and second against the Dodgers in 10 days, leading the Cubs to a 2-0 victory Sunday night. Arrieta struck out a season-high 12 and becomes the first 17-game winner in the big leagues by throwing baseball’s third no-hitter in less than three weeks.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)
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Aug. 21, 2015: Houston Astros starting pitcher Mike Fiers no-hit the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 3-0 win.
(Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)
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Aug. 12, 2015: Seattle’s Hisashi Iwakuma becomes the second Japanese-born pitcher in major league history to throw a no-hitter, leading the Mariners to a 3-0 victory over the Orioles. He joins Hideo Nomo.
(Joe Nicholson, USA TODAY Sports)
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July 25, 2015: Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels’ no hitter against the Cubs was the 13th in franchise history, including the postseason. He was part of a combined no hitter against Sept. 1, 2014 against theBraves.
(Caylor Arnold, USA TODAY Sports)
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June 20, 2015: Nationals ace Max Scherzer throws a no-hitter against the Pirates. Scherzer was in line to throw the 24th-ever perfect game, but with 26 outs down and two strikes, he hits Jose Tabata with a pitch. Some may say Tabata leaned into the pitch.
(Brad Mills, USA TODAY Sports)
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Sept. 1, 2014: Cole Hamels, Ken Giles, Jake Diekman and Jonathan Papelbon combined to toss a no-hitter for the Phillies against the Braves.
(Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports)
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June 25, 2014: Giants’ pitcher Tom Lincecum threw a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres. The Giants won 4-0.
(Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports)
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June 18, 2014: The Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Clayton Kershaw had 15 strikeouts and earned a no-hitter against the Rockies. The Dodgers won 8-0.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Spor)
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May 25, 2014: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett had a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies. LA won 6-0.
(Eric Hartline, USA TODAY Sports)
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Sept. 28, 2013: Miami Marlins pitcher Henderson Alvarez had a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers. Miami won the game, 1-0.
(Jason Arnold, Getty Images)
Then again, lots of teams are doing that these days.
Just one night before, Los Angeles Angels lefty Reid Detmers struck out 14 Rangers and allowed just a solo homer and the Rangers managed just one more hit in losing to the Angels.
This time, a lineup missing Corey Seager drew just two walks against the Astros’ trio. And even if the competition was meager, Imai’s performance was surely a relief to Houston: Signed for $54 million, he was shipped to the injured list after just three starts, admitting he was struggling acclimating to life in the major leagues and the USA.
He spent five weeks working his way back, yet still entered Monday’s game with an 8.31 ERA in five starts.
By night’s end, he had the biggest piece of the fifth combined no-hitter in franchise history.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tatsuya Imai, Steven Okert and Alimber Santa combine to no-hit Rangers
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