The last time a New York Yankees pitcher threw a no-hitter, the year was 1999, about 22 years ago. Fast forward to the present day, and Corey Kluber has finally broken that streak, recording a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday evening.
Kluber has battled injuries the past few seasons, pitching a total of 36.2 innings since 2018. He’s already pitched 41.1 this season and hosts an impressive 2.86 ERA coming off a long stretch of absence.
Ultimately, the Yankees needed to find an established number two starter, and Kluber forced his way back into the conversation as one of the top starters in baseball. The Yankees allowed Masahiro Tanaka to walk this past off-season, as he took his talents back to Japan, replacing him with Kluber, who has impressed at 35 years old.
Good news and bad news for the Yankees:
The good news is quite straightforward, the pitching was phenomenal as the bullpen received a night off thanks to Corey and his outstanding performance. Over 9.0 innings, he threw 101 pitches, including 71 strikes and nine strikeouts. If not for one measly walk, Kluber would’ve enjoyed a perfect game, but his accomplishment shouldn’t go unnoticed.
He was the 11th Yankee in the franchise history to record a no-hitter, and he single-handedly carried the team to victory against Texas, putting them five games above .500 on the season.
If there are any negatives to harp on, it is the offense, as the Yankees only tallied four hits of their own and struck out six times on the evening. The only batters to record a hit were Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres, and Tyler Wade, who replaced Ryan LaMarre in right field early on.
The top of the batting order struggle to get going in the victory, but they didn’t have to do much as Kluber carried the offense as they continue their stretch of inadequacy. While the Yankees have shown flashes of production at times, they have been wildly inconsistent this season, lacking run production. Of course, injuries have taken their toll, as the outfield has been decimated as of late.
Aaron Hicks is currently dealing with a torn sheath in his left wrist, which could keep him out for potentially months. Giancarlo Stanton is working his way back from a quad strain, which could keep them out for a few weeks in addition.