Corey Kluber Becomes 12th Yankee to toss No-Hitter

 YANKEES 2 - RANGERS 0 

Corey Kluber spent a better part of the past two years rehabbing from injuries. In 2019, he fractured his right arm after he was hit by a line drive as a member of the Cleveland Indians, and never pitched for the Indians again. 

Last season, he tried to comeback as a member of the Texas Rangers, but made only one appearance before he was removed for what would be diagnosed as a torn terse major muscle in his shoulder. 

He didn't pitch again after that.  

Now on his third time in as many seasons, Kluber had a lot to prove in 2021, signing a one-year deal with a Yankees team that was desperate for some veteran pitching. The Yankees were betting that if Kluber could come close to reclaiming the Cy Young candidate he once was in Cleveland, then they would have that perfect number 2 starter behind Gerrit Cole.

On Wednesday night, he returned the favor to the Yankees for believing in him. 

 

On Wednesday night, Kluber became the 12th pitcher in the incredible history of the Yankees to toss a no-hitter when he blanked his former team, the Rangers in a 2-0 victory. 

27 up. 27 down. The only man to reach base was Charlie Culberson on a four-pitch walk in he bottom of the third inning. 

Kluber had the Rangers totally off-balance all night, striking out nine batters, and was incredibly efficient throwing only 101 pitches on the evening. The most pitches he tossed in an inning was 15, and he did that twice, in the fifth and seventh innings. He was that much on point. 

 

For all the legendary performances the Yankees have had by pitchers, the last time the Bombers had a no-hitter was David Cone's perfect game against the then-Montreal Expos in July of 1999, during a time when the Yankees had a quartet of no-hitters over six seasons (Jim Abbott in 1993, Dwight Gooden in 1996, David Wells in 1998 and Cone).  Kluber now becomes the 12th Yankee to toss a no-hitter all time. 

He is also the first Yankees pitcher to toss a no-hitter on the road since Allie Reynolds did it against the Cleveland Indians in 1951. 

No-hitters have become common place of late. 

Detroit's Spencer Turnboll toss a no-hitter on Tuesday night against the Seattle Mariners. There are now six hitters this season, one shy of the major league record. With the emphasis on launch angle and home runs in today's game, the likelihood of getting a no hitter has increased as hitters are now more impatient then ever before. 

That said, a no-hitter is still a no-hitter. For Kluber it was a special moment, and validation that after two long years, he finally made his way back.