Trevor Bauer: Getting pulled with no-hitter intact was ‘right decision’

Chelsea Howard

Trevor Bauer: Getting pulled with no-hitter intact was ‘right decision’ image

Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer believes manager Terry Francona made the "right decision" to pull him with a no-hitter intact during Thursday's 4-1 victory over the Blue Jays, despite having the chance to create a piece of history. 

Bauer was six outs away from the Indians' first no-hitter in 38 years, but Francona pulled him after seven hitless innings and 117 pitches. 

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“I knew it was probably time to come out,” Bauer said (via Cleveland.com). “That being said, I think my velocity was higher in the last inning than all the other innings. I could be wrong on that, but it didn’t drop off at all. My stuff was sharp. So yeah, had I gone back out, I feel like I would have gotten it, too. But it’s a long season. And we’re in the second week of it. Yeah, I’m fine with it.”

Bauer was taken out because Francona believed the right-hander's pitch count climbed too high, even though he was just two innings away from potentially completing a no-hitter.

"I didn't want to take him out," Francona said, per the Associated Press. "He said he knew it was the right thing. I told him I hate it. He goes, 'I hate it, too, but I know it's the right thing.' I care too much about him and this organization to hurt somebody. I would have loved to have seen it because I don't doubt that he would have kept pitching and probably not given up a hit the way he was throwing.

"I just have an obligation to do the right thing, even when it's not the funnest thing to do."

While Bauer said it would be "great" to have thrown a no-hitter, he explained that his priority was on winning and doing what's best for his team.

“To be honest, I don’t really care about a no-hitter or not,” Bauer said. “I care about putting up zeroes for the team and winning. I care about coming out t the ballpark, seeing the fans, seeing the people of Cleveland.

“I care about my teammates and trying to win a World Series. So, if I throw a no-hitter, that’s great. If not, that’s great too, as long as we win the game.”

Chelsea Howard