On May 10, 2022, in his 11th career MLB start, Angels lefty Reid Detmers threw a no-hitter. On Aug. 16, 2023, Detmers got through seven innings without having allowed a hit.
Detmers did get the first out in the eighth, but he then gave up a double in the left-center gap to Rangers All-Star second baseman Marcus Semien. It was Detmers' 108th pitch of the night and it turned out to be his last. Angels reliever Reynaldo López was able to leave two runners on after the Angels intentionally walked Corey Seager, and then Carlos Estévez brought things home with a save in the ninth.
The Angels won, 2-0. Detmers was protecting a 1-0 lead nearly all game. The Angels scored in the top of the first on, of course, a Shohei Ohtani solo homer. The scoreboard flashed zeroes the rest of the way until Matt Thaiss hit a solo shot for the Angels in the top of the ninth.
This outing was quite a departure from the way things had been going for Detmers of late. He came in with a 5.27 ERA on the season and a 10.30 ERA in his last six starts. The Rangers have been one of the best offenses in baseball against left-handed pitching, too, coming in with a collective .286/.358/.474 line against southpaws.
There have been four no-hitters in the 2023 season. Domingo Germán of the Yankees threw a perfect game on June 28, three pitchers tossed a combined no-no for the Tigers on July 8, Framber Valdez threw a no-hitter on August 1 and then Michael Lorenzen pulled off the feat Aug. 9 in his second start with the Phillies.
The Angels have thrown 12 no-hitters in franchise history. Detmers' last no-hitter was the most recent. The last time they threw one that didn't start with Detmers on the hill was July 12, 2019, when Taylor Cole and Félix Peña had a combined no-hitter. Jered Weaver's no-hitter in 2012 was the last Angels no-no thrown by one man, pre-Detmers.
There have been 35 pitchers in MLB history with two no-hitters, which includes the postseason. In 2019, Justin Verlander threw his third no-hitter while Mike Fiers joined the group with his second.
