Baseball history comes in all shapes and sizes. The Atlanta Braves know all to well the kind of history they have put themselves into offensively as recent as last season. However, one piece of baseball history has been eluding them since 1994.
Sadly, last night's game was a depressing reminder of just how long Atlanta has went without tossing a no-hitter. It was about as good a pitching duel as you'll probably see all season between Max Fried and Bryce Miller. Each pitcher threw six innings of no-hit baseball. The reigning NL MVP broke Seattle's no-hit bid up in the seventh, and eventually came across to score the first run of the game.
Fried handed over his no-hit bid to the bullpen after throwing 100 pitches in his six innings of work. Pierce Johnson was successful in keeping the no-no alive, but unfortunately the magical pitching performance came to an end with a single from Josh Rojas. To Joe Jimenez's credit, he bounced back and escaped from a bases loaded jam to keep the game 1-0 heading to the ninth. Sadly, the Mariners would come back anyway and steal the opening game of the series thanks to a walk-off homer from Mitch Garver.
However, the tough loss isn't what this story is centered around. Instead, this story will focus on the Atlanta Braves being oh so close to a no-hitter, only to lose it in the late stages of a game...again.
Braves no-hitter drought is among the longest in baseball
If you're reading this and you were born before April 8, 1994 congrats, you have witnessed the Atlanta Braves pitch a no-hitter in your lifetime! If you're like me and were born after (April of 1996) you're probably starting to feel like it'll never happen.
Yes, I just celebrated my 28th birthday and in all my years of watching Braves baseball I have yet to see a completed no-hitter. That's because the last Atlanta Braves no-hitter came on April 8, 1994 via Kent Mercker.
That 30 plus year drought puts the Braves in not so envious territory. As of now only four other teams are experiencing longer no-hitter droughts than the Braves. It could be worse though, the Cleveland Guardians are approaching the 43 year mark since their last no-hitter.
Braves have currently have the 4th longest no-hitter drought in baseball. The only teams with longer droughts;
— Sinner Saved By Grace (@Freed_Sinner) April 30, 2024
Guardians (May 15, 1981)
Blue Jays (Sept 2, 1990)
Royals (Aug 26, 1991)
That doesn't mean the Braves haven't had some incredibly heartbreaking close calls though. Let's do ourselves a disservice and look back at some of them!
So close, yet so far
Every Braves game that sees a pitcher come as close as Max Fried and the bullpen did last night immediately has fans looking back at the last near no-hitter's they were watching. One of the more recent bids was a no-hit bid that went about the same length as last night's game.
Spencer Strider came within five outs of accomplishing history last April against Miami. Jean Segura broke that one up, and Strider had to settle for a scoreless 13 strikeout performance. If we were to pick one pitcher that could end this drought soon Strider would certainly be the guy. Sadly, that will have to wait until next season.
Countless other no-hit bids have reached the late inning stages for Braves pitchers. Folty had a close one out in Oakland, and Teheran came close at home against the Pirates until Brandon Inge broke his bid up.
Of course the worst part about the drought is the really REALLY close calls. The rebuilding years were tough to watch, but Shelby Miller in a Braves uniform was elite. Miller came within one out of a no-hitter in Miami, until Justin Bour soured the mood for Braves fans.
Then in 2018 the heartbreak of all heartbreak happened. Sean Newcomb was within one strike of a no-hitter against the mighty Dodgers in July of 2018. Sadly, Chris Taylor spoiled the afternoon with a single on Newcomb's 134th pitch. The baseball went just past the reach of a diving Johan Camargo, and Truist Park and Braves fans everywhere were left stunned.
Four years ago today, Chris Taylor broke up Sean Newcomb's no-hitter on what would have been the final strike of the game. pic.twitter.com/9ZZ7bv5PZ8
— Baseball GIFs (@gifs_baseball) July 29, 2022
Meanwhile, I've seen the Braves GET no-hit by Ubaldo Jimenez, and Cole Hamels (plus the Phillies bullpen) four years later. History isn't nearly as fun when your favorite team is on the wrong side of it.
Each no-hit bid that comes and goes feels like added salt to the wounds of Braves fans desperately wanting to see history. However, there was a point in my life where I was convinced I'd never see the Braves win a World Series, and we know how that turned out. Hopefully Atlanta can end this no-hitter drought sooner rather than later.