What is a no-hitter? Tracking the history of the MLB teams and players that have accomplished the feat

Baseball fans love coming to the ballpark to watch some home runs fly. But there are times where a dominant outing by a pitcher can be the most thrilling event to witness in the sport.

And there's no outing more dominant than a no-hitter. Few things will keep baseball fans glued to their seats like an ongoing no-hitter. Fans will tune in to games in which they'd otherwise have no vested interest if they can witness baseball history. 

Before the start of the 2024 season, there had been 10,569 pitchers in Major League Baseball dating back to 1871. Of those, 256 have been the sole pitcher in a no-hitter and 68 were involved in a combined no-hitter. That means just 3 percent of pitchers all-time have been involved in throwing a no-hitter. There have been 35 pitchers to throw multiple no-hitters in their careers. 

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But what exactly is a no-hitter? Here's what you need to know.

What is a no-hitter?

A no-hitter is simply a game in which one team is held without hits for at least nine innings. Opponents can reach base by a walk, hit-by-pitch, catcher's interference, fielder's choice, error or dropped third strike, so long as the scorer does not put them down for a hit. There have even been teams that have been no-hit and won the game.

There are a few key distinctions that are crucial for a no-hitter to go into the MLB record books. A no-hitter does have to go at least nine innings. There have been 26 games in which a team has been no-hit by the time a game concluded and it did not go in the record books. In 2021, when double-headers ran only seven innings, Madison Bumgarner no-hit the Diamondbacks for seven innings and won the game. In 1992, Red Sox starter Matt Young pitched eight hitless innings against the Indians. However, Cleveland scored two runs at home and won the game 2-1, not needing to bat in the bottom of the ninth. Thus, no no-no for Young.

Another key distinction is that the tally does not stop at the ninth inning. If a game goes into extra innings, a team has to keep the no-hitter going in order for it to go into the record books. In 2013, Henderson Alvarez had thrown nine no-hit innings, but stood in the on-deck circle in the bottom of the ninth prepared to pitch the 10th in a scoreless game before the Marlins scored to win the game 1-0. In 2017, Rich Hill threw nine no-hit innings against the Pirates. He then served up a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th to lose the no-hitter.

Multiple pitchers can be involved in no-hitters, with such outings called combined no-hitters.

And unlike other postseason stats, which are tracked but not recorded as part of a player's career stats, MLB will recognize playoff no-hitters and perfect games.

Major League Baseball officially recognizes 323 no-hitters in its history. There are three no-hitters that are not recognized by MLB: two thrown by Joe Borden in 1875 and 1876 in the National Association and another thrown by Pete Dowling in 1901. The National Association is not currently viewed as a major league by MLB, while record books differ on whether Dowling threw nine no-hit innings — some sources have Wid Conroy picking up in an infield single, others do not.

What is a perfect game?

Perfect games are decidedly more rare. Of the 323 no-hitters, only 24 have gone into the record books as perfect games.

To qualify as a perfect game, there can be no players reaching base. Not on a walk, not on a hit-by-pitch, not on catcher's interference, not on a dropped third strike and not on an error. Yes, even a mistake made by a fielder, and not a pitcher, can cost the team a perfect game. That is why perfect games are truly the most difficult achievement in MLB.

There is one unique wrinkle in the modern game. MLB extra-inning games start with a runner on second base. That runner does not count toward the perfect game. That runner could come around to score and cost the team a win, but a perfect game would still go in the record books. Previously, it was impossible to lose when completing a perfect game.

Most no-hitters by pitcher

It's possible Nolan Ryan will stand forever alone at the top of the list for most no-hitters in history. He threw seven during his Hall of Fame career, with Sandy Koufax (four) next up.

Only one active pitcher has thrown more than two no-hitters: Justin Verlander. The current Astros ace pitched two during his days with the Tigers and threw another with Houston.

Johnny Vander Meer holds the lone distinction of being the only pitcher in MLB history to throw no-hitters in back-to-back starts, doing so on June 11, 1938 against the Red Sox and June 15, 1938 against the Dodgers. They were the only two no-hitters of his MLB career.

Most no-hitters by team

No team has pitched more total no-hitters than the Dodgers, which have 26 to their name. They also come in second in no-hitters against with a total of 20 that have been spun against them, topped only by the Phillies with 21.

The Rockies, Padres, Rays and Blue Jays are tied for the fewest no-hitters pitched with only one each. The Padres had the longest active no-hitter-less streak going until April 9, 2021, when Joe Musgrove no-hit the Rangers.

Despite dating back to 1969, the Royals have the fewest no-hitters against them among active teams with only two, the last happening on May 19, 2008, when Red Sox southpaw Jon Lester no-hit Kansas City.

The longest active drought for a team throwing a no-hitter belongs to the Guardians, who last had a pitcher throw a no-hitter on May 15, 1981, when Len Barker pitched a perfect game against the Blue Jays.

Among the active 30 MLB franchises, here's a look at where each ranks in both team no-hitters and no-hitters against.

History of no-hitters

* - Denotes perfect game