Henry Roldán
Tuesday night was historic at Angels Stadium after the Angels rookie pitcher Reid Detmers etched his name into the unforgettable records of Major League Baseball.
In just the eleventh start of his career and sixth of this season, the Anaheim rookie pitched beautifully on the mound, manhandling the Tampa Bay Rays’ offense to get the second no-hit no-run so far this 2022 season after the one thrown, collectively, by the New York Mets.
After the engagement, Detmers couldn’t believe what he had accomplished and confessed to Bally Sports that he doesn’t even remember part of what he did in the final innings.
“It’s something I’ve dreamed of ever since I was a little kid. I didn’t think it would ever happen. I don’t even know. I probably won’t even remember this [interview] tomorrow morning.”
Reid Detmers on his no-hit, no-run game.
Reid Detmers needed 108 pitches to complete the historic feat that places him as the 25th rookie to pitch in such a game in Major League history and the second Angels rookie to do so after Bo Belinsky in 1962. He is also the first team pitcher to get a solo no-hitter since Jered Weaver in 2012, as Anaheim got one in 2019 thanks to the work of two pitchers.
In his performance, the right-hander was close to perfection as he only got two Rays players on base, one on a walk and the other on an error by first baseman Jared Walsh, which almost cost him the feat. In addition, he only fanned two opponents, the lowest number in a game of this style since Francisco Liriano in 2011, according to Elias Sports Bureau data.
Reid Detmers’ Numbers
For many, Reid Detmers’ no-hitter is one of the most special in history, because while more than two dozen rookies have thrown a no-hitter in the Major Leagues, the Anaheim starter did it at a pretty tough time for him.
Prior to his spectacular performance against Tampa Bay, Detmers was 1-1 with a career-high 5.32 ERA this season, while in his 11 lifetime starts in the Majors his ERA was 6.33 with a WHIP of 1.45. So his place with the big team appeared to be in jeopardy.
According to Stats by Stats, Detmers is the only pitcher since 1913 to throw a no-hitter after starting his career with a lifetime ERA over 6.00 and at least 40 innings of work.
Another interesting fact is that he had never pitched more than six innings as a professional, including 14 minor leagues starts, and his highest number of pitches in an opening had been 97 deliveries.
