The Houston Astros have become the first franchise in MLB history to record two combined no-hitters, throwing one tonight against the Seattle Mariners and winning 9-0.
This no-hitter comes on the heels of an explosive trade deadline that saw the Astros make a flurry of moves just under the wire before 4 p.m. This is also the second time the Mariners have gotten no-hit this season, the first coming against the Los Angeles Angels the night they honored their late teammate Tyler Skaggs. Seattle becomes the first team since the 2015 Dodgers to be no-hit twice in the same season.
Speaking of the trade deadline, it was one of those trade deadline acquisitions who started the game. Former Blue Jays Aaron Sanchez and Joe Biagini were traded to Houston July 31, and Sanchez started the game. Despite his 3-14 record coming into the game, Sanchez did not allow a hit over the first six innings.
From there, Will Harris, the newly-acquired Biagini, and Chris Devenski shut it down over the final three frames and created history in the process. With the biggest trade fish to be flipped in Zach Greinke looming, in addition to a top-two tandem of Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, the Astros are all-in on this season. They have the horses to go deep in the playoffs, and their rotation is downright terrifying combined with their fearsome lineup.
This no-hitter shows not only their depth but also that they may have found a diamond in the rough in Sanchez, a much-maligned player in Toronto. The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers have strong World Series cases, but none are stronger than Houston’s.
