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Astros rookie pulls off MLB feat unseen in 134 years during no-hitter
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- Astros rookie pulls off MLB feat unseen in 134 years during no-hitter
A trio of Houston Astros pitchers combined on MLB's first no-hitter since 2024 on Monday, May 25.
Starter Tatsuya Imai and relievers Steven Okert and Alimber Santa pulled off the incredible feat during a 9-0 victory over the host Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.
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The most amazing part of the no-no? Santa's two-inning outing to close the game happened to represent his major-league debut. Houston called up the 23-year-old Dominican on Friday, but he hadn't appeared in a game.
According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs , Santa became the first pitcher to play a part in a no-hitter in his MLB debut since 1892. The Cincinnati Reds ' Bumpus Jones fired his own no-hitter on Oct. 15 of that year.
"I don't know how to explain this," Santa said on the field, through an interpreter. "Just warming up, I knew a no-hitter was going on, but I was focusing on throwing strikes and competing."
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Improbable no-no for 'Stros
The 18th no-hitter in franchise history came as a complete surprise. MLB's most recent no-hitter came on Sept. 4, 2024, when Chicago Cubs hurlers Shota Imanaga , Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge shut down the Pittsburgh Pirates .
Imai entered Monday's game with an 8.31 ERA in five starts for Houston. The Japanese star signed a three-year, $54 million deal to join the Astros and was expected to bolster the rotation.
Imai walked three batters in the first inning but got a key double play to escape. He walked just one more batter in his six hitless innings. Okert walked a batter in the seventh while keeping the no-hitter intact.
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Then came Santa. It helped that the Astros scored five runs in the top of the seventh to stretch their lead to 9-0. That allowed Houston to bring in the rookie with little concern about losing the game.
Houston Astros relief pitcher Alimber Santa (72) and catcher Christian Vazquez (2) celebrate on the field after the Astros finished a combined no-hitter against the Texas Rangers . | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
"In the back of your mind is the no-hitter, but you're trying to win a game," Astros manager Joe Espada told MLB.com . "You're trying to preserve some of the assets for tomorrow and the rest of the week. But the kid came in, and that sweeper was sweeping, the fastball was sinking, and he looked like he pitched in the big leagues before. You're talking about a first impression, and that was an incredible first impression."
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Santa had no trouble, retiring all six batters he faced. His lone strikeout came against the final batter, Texas' Brandon Nimmo . Nimmo challenged the called third strike, but it was upheld.
"I'm a pitcher, I really don't know the strike zone that well," Santa said. "I'm a little far from the zone, from home plate. [Catcher Christian] Vázquez came up to me and said, 'Hey stud, that's a strike.'"
