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Yesterday, the Los Angeles Angels paid tribute to Angels’ pitcher Tyler Skaggs (photo above), who passed away unexpectedly – at age 27 – one July 1. (It was the Angels’ first home game since Skaggs death.) All of the Angels’ player wore jerseys replicating Skaggs number-45 uniform and the pitcher was honored in a pre-game ceremony that included a video highlighting Skaggs’ career, a minute of silence and Skaggs’ mother Debbie throwing out the first pitch and the placement of the game-worn Skaggs jersey on the mound after the game.
The Angels then went out and honored Skaggs in the most appropriate way possible to recognize a pitcher – by holding the visiting Mariners’ hitless in a 13-0 Angels’ rout. Angels’ pitchers Taylor Cole and Felix Pena allowed only one base runner, a walk (off Pena) in the fifth inning, as the two Halo hurlers faced only 28 Mariners’ batters. Cole pitched the first two innings (fanning two batters), while Pena fanned six over his seven frames. It was MLB’s 13th combined no-hitter – and an appropriate tribute to a respected and well-liked competitor and teammate. Let’s take a look at Skaggs’ career and then MLB’s previous twelve combine no-hitters.
Skaggs was selected by the Angels (our of Santa Monica High School) in the first round (40th overall) of the 2009 MLB draft – beginning his pro-career with the Arizona Angels (Arizona League) and Orem Owlz (Pioneer League). He pitched ten innings that season, walking two, fanning 13 and putting up a 1.80 ERA. In 2010, he moved up to the Class A Midwest League Cedar Rapids Kernels, where he made the league All Star Team. In July of that season, Skaggs was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who kept him in the Midwest League (South Bend Silver Hawks). For the Midwest League season, Skaggs was 9-5, 3.29, with 25 walks and 102 strikeouts in 98 1/3 innings.
In 2011, Skaggs continued to move up, playing at both High A and Double A, as well as in the All-Star Future Game. His combined record was 9-6, 2.96, with 49 walks and 198 whiffs in 158 1/3 innings. Skaggs continued to progress in 2012, playing at Double A and Triple A, once playing in the All-Star Futures Game – and making his MLB debut. His 2012 minor-league record was 9-6, 2.87, with 37 walks and 166 strikeouts in 122 1/3 inning.
In 2013, he was traded back to the Angels and spent time with the big club (as well as in the minors) in both 2013 and 2014 before an August 2014 injury that required Tommy John surgery (Skaggs missed the 2015 season). Skaggs returned to the Angels in 2016, starting 10 games; began the 2017 campaign with LA, but spent considerable time on the Disabled List (getting 16 starts); and had a total of 24 starts in an injury-limited 2018 season. This season, the lefty known for his curve ball was putting up solid numbers: 7-7 through 15 starts – leading the team in wins and strikeouts at the time of his passing. Skaggs overall minor-league record was 36-31, with a 3.33 ERA. with 179 walks and 612 strikeouts in 554 2/3 innings.
Now for those other combined no-hitters:
The first-ever combine no-hitter took place on June 23, 1917 – with the Red Sox topping the Senators 4-0 in Boston. This game is special for several reasons: it was the first MLB combined no-hitter; Babe Ruth was involved; it involved the most meager contribution by the starting pitcher (zero innings pitched); and, finally, it is arguably the most “perfect” combined no-hitter ever. Like the Skaggs tribute no-no, this one featured only one base-runner for the losing squad, but in this case the victims sent only the minimum 27 batters to the plate.
Babe Ruth, at that time plying his trade as a left-handed starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, opened the game by walking Washington’s lead-off hitter Roy Morgan. Ruth, and his catcher Pinch Thomas, took issue with umpire Brick Owens’ strike zone and, during the argument, Ruth made contact with the umpire (a glancing blow, it was reported). The ultimate result of the confrontation was the ejection of both Ruth and Thomas (with Ruth earning a $100 fine and ten-game suspension). Red Sox’ pitcher Ernie Shore was called in to replace Ruth and Sam Agnew took Thomas’ spot behind the plate. Morgan decided to test Agnew’s arm and was thrown out stealing, after which Shore retired the next 26 hitters in order – completing the first combined no-hitter and facing the minimum 27 batters.
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Given the past propensity for pitchers finishing what they started, MLB’s second combined no-hitter came 50 seasons and 70 no-hitters later – on April 30, 1967, with the Tigers defeating the Orioles 2-1 in Baltimore. This combined no-hitter is unique because it was not a “no- no” (no hits – no runs), the team that threw the no-hitter lost (the only combined no-hitter loss) and it involved the briefest contribution by the relief staff (one pitcher/one-third inning pitched).
Orioles’ starter Steve Barber and was effectively wild, walking ten hitters and hitting two in 8 2/3 innings. The opposing hurler was Detroit’s Earl Wilson – who matched goose eggs with Barber for seven innings. In the eighth, Baltimore pushed across a run on three walks and a sacrifice fly (Wilson gave up only two hits and four walks in his eight innings of work) and victory was there if Barber could take it. He didn’t. Barber walked Tiger 1B Norm Cash to start the ninth. He then walked SS Ray Oyler. Earl Wilson, a good-hitting pitcher, bunted the runners to second and third, before Barber got the second out of the inning, inducing PH Willie Horton to pop up to the catcher. Now, just one out away from a 1-0, no-hit win, Barber uncorked a wild pitch that brought the tying run home. He then walked CF Mickey Stanley, ending his day on the mound. Stu Miller came in to get the final out, but not until an error allowed the go-ahead run to score.
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Combined no-hitter number three came on September 28, 1975, with the A’s topping the Angels 5-0 in Oakland. This game was unique in that it is one of only three no-hitters thrown on the final day of an MLB season – and it made starting pitcher Vida Blue the first hurler to take part in both a solo and combined no-hitter. (Blue had thrown a solo no-hitter on September 21, 1970.) Blue went five innings and was followed by Glenn Abbott (one inning), Paul Lindblad (one inning) and Rollie Fingers (2 innings). This was also the first time more than two pitchers were involved in a combined no-hitter. Note: Blue has been joined by Kevin Millwood, Kent Mercker and Mike Witt as pitchers with both solo and combined no-hitters.)
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The next combined no-hitter went back to the two-pitcher formula, as Blue Moon Odom (5 innings) and Francisco Barrios (4 innings) of the White Sox topped the A’s 2-1 in Oakland. In the July 28, 1976 game, Blue walked five and gave up one run in his five frames, and Barrios added two walks in his four.
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Combined no-hitter number-five came on April 11, 1990 (again just two pitchers), with the Angels topping the Mariners 1-0 in Anaheim. Mark Langston started the game and went seven, and Mike Witt (the only pitcher to throw a perfect game – September 30, 1984 – and take part in a combined no-hitter ) threw the final two.
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1991 saw seven MLB no-hitters including two combined no-nos. On July 13, the Orioles no-hit the A’s 2-0 in Oakland behind Bob Milacki (five innings), Mike Flanagan (one IP), Mark Williamson (one IP) and Gregg Olson (one IP). Then, on September 11, the Braves no-hit the Padres 1-0 in Atlanta, led by Kent Mercker (six innings), Mark Wohlers (two innings) and Alejandro Pena (one inning).
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Combined no-hitter number eight came on July 12, 1997 – with the Pirates topping the Astros 3-0 in Pittsburgh. It was unique in that it was the only extra-inning combined “no-no.” Francisco Cordova started and went nine hitless frames (two walks, ten whiffs) and Ricardo Rincon threw one hitless inning in relief (for the win).
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The next combined no hitter was a record breaker – as the Astros used a record six pitchers (since tied) to no-hit the Yankees 8-0 in an inter-league game at Yankee Stadium (the last no-hitter at Old Yankee Stadium). Roy Oswalt started, but succumbed to a groin injury after just one completed inning. Joining in the no-hitter were: Pete Munro (2 2/3 IP); Kirk Saarlos (1 1/3 IP); Brad Lidge (2 IP); Octavio Dotel (1 IP); and Billy Wagner (1 IP). Notably, the no-hitter also broke up the Yankee’s record streak of 6,980 games without being held hitless. They had not been held without a safety since September 20, 1958.
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The very next combined no-hitter – another inter-league game – saw the six-pitcher record tied, as the Mariners topped the Dodgers 1-0 in Seattle. Kevin Millwood started that one (six innings), followed by Charlie Furbush (2/3 IP), Stephen Pryor (1/3 IP), Lucas Luetge (1/3 IP), Brandon League (2/3 IP) and Tom Wilhemson (one IP).
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In combined no-hitter number 11 – September 1, 2014- the Phillies used four pitchers to no-hit the Braves 7-0 in Atlanta. The pitchers involved were Cole Hamels, who started and went six innings (issuing five walks versus seven strikeouts); Jake Diekman (one inning, two strikeouts); Ken Giles (one inning, three strikeouts); and Jonathan Papelbon (one inning, no strikeouts).
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On May 4, 2018 – the Dodgers no-hit the Padres 4-0 in a regular-season MLB game played in Monterrey Mexico – the twelfth combined no-hitter and the first official MLB no-hitter ever thrown outside the United State or Canada.
It was the Dodgers’ MLB-best 23rd no-hitter and it came against the Padres the only MLB that has never had a no-hitter thrown in their cause. Walker Buehler started for the Dodgers, and the 23-year-old – making just his third major league start (11th appearance) – went six innings (93 pitches), walking three and fanning eight. He was followed by relievers Tony Cingrani (one inning, two walks, one whiff); Yimi Garcia (one inning, no walks, two strikeouts) and Adam Libertore (one inning, no walks, two strikeouts). Buehler, by the way, also collected an unusual sixth inning single – as his groundball hit base runner Alex Verdugo between first and second, resulting in Verdugo being called out (for the final out of the inning) and Buehler being credited with a single. That single, of course, meant Buehler outhit the entire Padres’ lineup.
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And, finally, there was yesterday’s combined no-hitter – a fitting tribute to Tyler Skaggs.
Primary Resources: MLB.com; ESPN.com; Society for American Baseball Research.
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