San Diego Padres’ star pitcher Dylan Cease achieved a remarkable feat by no-hitting the Washington Nationals in a 3-0 victory. Cease’s performance included nine strikeouts and three walks, with a total of 114 pitches thrown. The Padres secured an early lead with Ha-Seong Kim’s three-run RBI single in the first inning, leading to their fifth consecutive win and a series sweep over the Nationals.
This no-hitter is significant as it marks the second of the current MLB season and only the second in the history of the Padres franchise, with the first thrown by Joe Musgrove in 2021.
The first no-hitter of the 2024 season was recorded by Astros’ spot starter Ronel Blanco in April. Cease’s accomplishment further highlights the rarity and excitement of such pitching achievements in baseball.
Dylan Cease joined the Padres this season after being traded from the Chicago White Sox. Prior to Thursday’s game, Cease held a 9-8 record with a 3.59 ERA over 128 innings pitched.
The Padres are currently trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by 7.5 games in the NL West and hold the third National League wild-card spot, making Cease’s performance crucial for their playoff aspirations.
Cease’s career has seen ups and downs, with a stellar 2022 season where he finished second in AL Cy Young voting due to a 2.20 ERA over 184 innings. However, he struggled in 2023, making his resurgence and Thursday’s no-hitter even more noteworthy. Cease’s determination was evident as he convinced manager Mike Shildt to let him continue pitching past the seventh inning, despite having reached 94 pitches.
In his post-game comments to MLB Network, Cease expressed gratitude for being allowed to continue and achieve the no-hitter, finishing the game with just one more pitch than his season-high. The final six outs required only 20 pitches, demonstrating his efficiency and control, culminating in a combination of groundouts, a strikeout, and a flyout to secure the memorable victory.
