It was close, but MLB will have to wait a little bit longer for the first no-hitter of the 2025 season.
On Friday, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Martinez nearly earned that honor, throwing eight hitless innings in the Reds’ 8-1 win over the San Diego Padres. But in the top of the ninth, with Martinez three outs away from making history, Padres catcher Elias Díaz hit a double to break up Martinez’s no-hit bid.
Even with the hit, Martinez had a career night on Friday: The 34-year-old threw six strikeouts, two walks and one hit in 112 pitches. One of those strikeouts came at the end of the eighth, as Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth struck out swinging to end the inning.
But then, in the ninth, fatigue began to creep in for Martinez, who threw a walk just before Díaz hit his double. Taylor Rogers came in to relieve Martinez, but allowed two walks to give the Padres their sole run before Rogers was able to close out the game.
However, the Reds pulled off a win thanks to three home runs from first baseman Spencer Steer, who homered in the second, fourth and fifth innings to buoy Cincinnati’s seven-run win.
Martinez becomes the latest pitcher to fall just short of a no-hitter this season, with a few attempts taking place this week. On Wednesday, Texas Rangers’ Jacob DeGrom threw seven no-hit innings in a great win over the Baltimore Orioles, before giving up a leadoff single in the eighth. Earlier this week, Milwaukee Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski threw six perfect innings before exiting.
If he had pulled it off, Martinez would have joined Cincinnati’s long and storied history of hitless games. The Reds have recorded 15 no-hitters in the modern era; most recently, Wade Miley threw a no-no in 2021, recording one walk and eight strikeouts in nine innings.
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