The last LAD no-hitter was a four pitcher combined no-no on May 4, 2018. The game was played in Mexico against the Padres, with the Dodgers winning 4-0. Rookie RHP Walker Buehler started and completed 6.0 IP, throwing 93 pitches. Buehler was followed by Tony Cingrani, Yimi Garcia, and Adam Liberatore.
The last individual no-hitter was thrown by Clayton Kershaw on June 18, 2014, in an 8-0 win over the Colorado Rockies. Kershaw struck out 15 and issued no walks. Kershaw was so dominant that he became only the second pitcher to throw a no-hitter with at least 15 strikeouts. Nolan Ryan did it three times. Kershaw didn’t throw a ball to any of the final six batters he faced.
The last thing anyone thought going into this game was for a possible no-hitter. The game started innocently enough. Taylor Ward hits a pop fly into right center that both Mookie Betts and Cody Bellinger were going after hard. Mookie got their first, got the ball in his glove, and Belli knocked him down with the ball coming out. Belli was aware enough to throw the ball to 2B and get Ward easily trying to get the extra base.
It was originally called a hit, but the scorer changed the ruling to E- Bellinger. It was a little prophetic when Orel and Joe Davis were commenting that since the out was recorded it really didn’t matter how the play was ruled…except if he goes deep in the game without giving up another hit. Little did we know.
Mike Trout followed with a walk. Shohei Ohtani who has two triples and a HR in 3 ABs against Tyler Anderson, worked the count to 3-2, and gets called out on strike 3 for the second out. Anderson struck out Matt Duffy swinging on his patented change.
There was still was nothing to foretell what was about to unfold when TA hit Jared Walsh to lead off the 2nd. Then something clicked. TA retired the next 17 batters before Jared Walsh reached 2B on Anderson’s throwing error. But he got the final out, and Anderson has a no-no going into the 8th. He is at 99 pitches. Three away from his season high and 9 away from his career high in pitches.
Kurt Suzuki led off the 8th with a BB, and all eyes were in the dugout to see what Roberts was going to do. After a Luis Rengifo F8, Mark Prior was about to go out to the mound to talk about PH Max Stassi, but thought better of it and went back into the dugout. Stassi hits a bullet that bounced right in front of Trea Turner, but he was able to knock it down and easily get the force out at 2B. He struck out Taylor Ward to end the inning with his 7th K on the night.
Into the 9th, TA has thrown 117 pitches, and he needs to get through Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, and Matt Duffy to record his first no-hitter. He got Trout looking on a cutter at the top of the zone that Trout knew was strike 3. That was his 8th K of the night.
Ohtani who has two triples and a HR against Anderson before tonight, hits a ball that Anderson left just about the same spot as the Trout K into RF. Mookie lays out for it, but it really was just a nice gesture, because the ball was clearly going to get down, and it did for a triple. Anderson said that he very much appreciated what Mookie did, but he knew it was a hit as soon as it left the bat.
After 123 pitches Doc came out to get Anderson, and TA exited to a standing O. A grateful Anderson tipped his cap to the crowd, and now they were looking for a shutout and win.
"This is the best stadium in baseball, the best atmosphere in baseball. They were the best fans tonight, it was amazing." pic.twitter.com/EaK9nvf5AS
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 16, 2022
Craig Kimbrel came in to close but gave up a run scoring single to Matt Duffy on his first pitch. But just like the night, he came back to strike out Jared Walsh on three pitches looking, and Brandon Marsh on a 3-2 pitch swinging.
After the game, Doc was asked if there was a point that he thought he was going to have to go get Anderson. Doc chuckled and said, “I know I have a reputation as the grim reaper, but I am a sports fan also. I wanted to see the no-hitter.” The pitch count really was not a factor. He had a short outing the game before, and there will be two off days before he pitches again. Doc said there were no stressful innings. His next game will probably be next Wednesday in Cincinnati. AF also hinted that Mitch White could be recalled becoming that 6th starter after the multiple off days coming up.
The one concern was that everyone was watching Anderson trying to stretch out his left triceps and elbow, and shake out his forearm and wrist in the 5th and 6th innings. The Dodgers could not afford to lose Anderson. Anderson said that he is constantly doing something like that every game, trying to stay loose. There is no problem with his arm.
The Dodgers offense again was stifled, but a three run HR by Will Smith in the 1st, and a solo shot by Trea Turner in the 3rd. These were their 8th HRs of the year, and would be all they needed. The Dodgers had 6 hits and all with 2 strikes. Mookie has been getting some horrible calls at the plate. At some point he is going to blow up at the plate umpire.
Hanser Alberto and Eddy Alvarez after Will Smith 3-Run HR
The game could have been a little more one-sided except for an outstanding play by future 1st ballot HOF CF Mike Trout stealing a HR from Chris Taylor in the 1st. The Dodgers had another night with 5-6 deep flyouts near the wall, that probably go out last year.
Tyler Anderson now joins teammate Tony Gonsolin with 8-0 records on the year. Where would the Dodgers be without these two who were piggyback pitchers in the beginning of the season? Anderson now has pitched in 67.0 innings making him a qualified starter. He has a 2.82 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. He has 63 Ks and a remarkable 11 walks on the season. That is almost a 6/1 SO/W ratio. It is going to be very hard to keep both Gonsolin and Anderson off the NL All Star roster.
Alanna Rizzo and Mark Prior talk about Tony Gonsolin and pitching on High Heat
What an amazing performance.
Sure hope he’s ok going forward. The extra day might help.
I sometimes think the pitch count is overblown. A pitcher throws, what, 20-30 pitches pregame and then throws 8 more before each inning. I know they are not stress pitches but they’re being thrown all the same.
That is exactly what Tyler Anderson said after the game. Something along the lines of…’105, 115, 125 pitches. They are really all the same.’ I think it is the timing in the season. 123 pitches in April are not the same as 123 pitches in June. But for goodness sakes don’t tell the nerds and their algorithms that. They have already dictated enough how this game should be played.
I would be less concerned if I hadn’t seen him shaking out his arm on the mound and and rubbing his forearm on the bench for the last 3 innings.
Did you happen to see Kershaw show the grip Anderson uses on that change up? Split finger Vulcan looking arrangement. It’s well documented split finger pitches are demanding on forearm ligaments. That’s where my concerns are. I’d prefer our guys all stay under or around 100 pitches and be satisfied with 6+. I see no thoroughbred horses on this staff. In fact, the league appears to be moving away from that model. I believe I just read arm injuries are at a high. Why? Gotta ask the nerds about that.
He explains in the above. There are also some other good comments. He says he is fine, but so did Walker Buehler.
I think there’s been work on this. And Roberts and/or Friedman have mentioned it. The difference between high-pressure / high-leverage pitches and those that come within the “easy” flow of the game.
I do think this is accounted for when talking about pitch counts.
Great performance by a guy not one single fan would expect to pitch that way. I went to see Jurassic World about 4.15 so I missed the first few innings. But I watched the last few when I got home. Offense still stinks.
Before he was signed, I thought Tyler would be a good FA to sign because he can be a good #6 and multiple inning reliever. He would be a good workhorse candidate. Basically a Jimmy Nelson replacement. He was always a good character. But I NEVER thought he could pull off with the way he is pitching. Last night was special for him and the LAD community, but I NEVER saw what he has done all year. That change grip adjustment has made him a very solid pitcher.
I am sure that Doc and AF are waiting to see to see how he recovers for his next start. But could he be a candidate for a 1 plus option extension candidate? LA is about as close to Las Vegas as one can get.
Jeff,
Is this an example of why Dodgers player development is so well regarded?
OR
Is Major League development markedly different from minor league?
Actually both. Dodgers pitching gurus have an ability to spot something in the mechanics and make a suggestion. And they work to fine tune that adjustment. I do not think it is ML development per se, but mechanics tinkering. Rick Honeycutt was very vocal in letting people know he was a coach and not an instructor. I think Mark Prior is the same way. Connor McGuiness is supposedly a very good technician that can break down and tweak mechanics. Of course, there are those that fall into both coach and instructor. But guys like Tyler Anderson and Andrew Heaney are established ML pitchers that someone saw something that could be exploited. They were not being developed but adjusted. Who picked up on the tweak? Who knows. This staff must spend thousands and thousands of hours watching film, watching in person, talking to people. I believe that Anderson has credited the LAD staff of recommending he go back to his old change. He also credits the staff for having him throw the change more often than his fastball. He is not nearly as vocal as Heaney was who was very vocal about problems with both NYY and LAA staff.
2022 – Change 32.4%; 4-seam fastball 32.0%
2021 – 4-seam fastball 37.3%; change 24.6%
Also do not minimize having Clayton Kershaw in the dugout making suggestions to Gonsolin and Anderson to throw more strikes. Trust your stuff.
Dodger pitching gurus are famous for allowing their pitchers to throw what they are comfortable with. Anderson and Heaney are good examples. Scott Kazmir…not so much. Win some, lose some.
In MiLB, the coaches are very much instructors who also coach. They develop. Baseball is a lot muscle memory. The coaches keep pitch counts down so tired arms do not pick up any bad habits, and of course not get hurt. Development plans are documented in the beginning of the season and the field coaches are “instructed” to follow the plan. Development staff are constantly making their “rounds” to monitor the plan and to make adjustments.
Bluto, yet another example of what the Dodger pitching gurus have done…
https://www.truebluela.com/2022/6/16/23171055/yency-almonte-dodgers-rockies-success
It is also interesting to note that it was Jake McGee who recommended Yency to contact the Dodgers, for just this reason. The LAD analytics department is second to none. The Dodgers spend a lot on their personnel, but they pay a ton for the back offices, analytics, scouting. This is why they can stay at or near the top every year.
For some reason I was pretty sure Roberts was going to let Anderson try to get the no no. All Star game in LA. I don’t think Kershaw has ever started an All Star game.
Cy Young a battle between Gonsolin and Anderson. Who knew?
LONG way to go to start that conversation.
I haven’t watched too many games this year, but I had the pleasure of watching the last two innings of last night’s game. Truly a well pitched game. Anderson’s pitch location and change of speeds was masterful. It was also wonderful to see the TV shot of his wife and young child in the stands right after Othani’s triple. Her facial expression, with the mixture of extreme pride, mixed with a little disappointment, was worth the price of admission. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that these folks are real people with real lives away from the ballpark and that they share the same emotions that we do. Albeit, they make a little more money at their jobs. Also, for the “fire Roberts now crowd” the shot of DR and TA embracing in the dugout after Roberts returned to the dugout in the 9th was a clear representation as to why he is so beloved by his players.
Speaking of real life, I have a theory that Bellinger, Muncy and Kimbrel may be struggling because they each have recently become fathers to newborns, and they just might not be getting the sleep they’re accustomed to having. Probably nothing to that, but the thought has occurred to me as being a possibility.
Baseball Savant does a great job of valuing individual pitches. In 2022 they have determined the value on 1,687 pitches. Here are the top 5. You might recognize a couple of names:
Clay Holmes – NYY – Sinker run value -13 (negative is good)
MacKenzie Gore – SD – 4-Seamer run value -13
Corbin Burnes – Mil – Cutter run value -11
Tony Gonsolin – LAD – Splitter run value -11
Tyler Anderson – LAD – Changeup run value -11
Gonsolin also happens to have another top 50 pitch: slider run value -7
For full list, see
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/pitch-arsenal-stats
Good stuff Jeff. I learn things here I don’t in other places. Just a head’s up, I’ll probably forget it quickly.
You do know you’re circling the outer boundaries of analytic nerdism, right?
So I have been accused. I wear it well…or so I have been told.
The Guardians rank 27th in the majors in OPS versus left-handed pitchers (.653) this year. Projected starters against the Guardians? Kershaw (LHP), Urias (LHP), and Heaney (LHP). The downside is that they are probably scheduled to pitch against Atlanta who is third in OPS versus left-handed pitchers (.824) this year. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. One game at a time. First game is Friday…Kershaw vs Zach Plesac (RHP).
Alex DeJesus has hit for the cycle with the Loons tonight. The second cycle in Loons history and first in 10 years.
Imanol Vargas had three doubles tieing the Loons record for doubles in a game.