Baseball fans always hope for the rare moment when a pitcher allows no hits. The 2025 season sparked that same excitement.
The idea of perfection still mattered, even as each week passed without one. This story looks at what defines a no-hitter, why it matters, and how the season unfolded.
No MLB pitcher threw a no-hitter or perfect game during the 2025 regular season. That absence made the year stand out. Fans and analysts looked deeper at trends, pressure, and chance.
This year invited sharp comparisons to past seasons filled with historic nights.
The sections ahead place 2025 in context. They explain how no-hitters work and highlight teams and players tied to near-misses and past milestones.
What Is a No-Hitter and a Perfect Game?
A no-hitter and a perfect game describe rare pitching results with clear rules. Both focus on hits allowed, base runners, and game length.
The key difference is whether any batter reaches base.
Differences Between No-Hitter and Perfect Game
A no-hitter means the pitching team allows zero hits in a full game. Batters can still reach base through walks, errors, or hit by pitch.
The pitcher can allow runs and still earn an official no-hitter, though most are also a shutout.
A perfect game goes further. No batter reaches base for any reason.
That includes no walks, no errors, and no hit by pitch. Every perfect game counts as a no-hitter, but not every no-hitter is perfect.
| Feature | No-Hitter | Perfect Game |
|---|---|---|
| Hits allowed | 0 | 0 |
| Base runners | Allowed | None |
| Runs allowed | Possible | 0 |
| Rarity | Rare | Extremely rare |
For a clear definition, see how MLB defines a no-hitter in baseball.
Rules and Qualifications for Official Recognition
MLB recognizes an official no-hitter only if the game lasts at least nine innings. The pitching team must allow no hits for the entire game.
A rain-shortened game does not qualify. One pitcher often throws a complete game, but teams can record a combined no-hitter using multiple pitchers.
If the visiting team pitches only eight innings, the game does not count, even with no hits allowed. Extra innings matter.
If a pitcher allows the first hit in the 10th inning, the game loses no-hitter status. These rules keep records consistent across eras.
How Batters Can Reach Base Without a Hit
A batter can reach base in several ways that still allow a no-hit game. Walks place a runner on first without contact.
An error lets a batter reach when a fielder misplays the ball. Other paths include hit by pitch, catcher’s interference, and reaching on an uncaught third strike.
Passed balls and wild pitches can advance runners and lead to runs. These events can produce an earned run or unearned run during a no-hitter.
That is why a no-hitter does not always mean a shutout. For a simple breakdown, see the difference between a no-hitter and a perfect game.
No-Hitters in the 2025 Baseball Season
The 2025 season stood out for what did not happen on the field. Despite many strong pitching performances, no pitcher or team completed a no-hitter across the full Major League Baseball schedule.
Overview of 2025 No-Hitters
There were no official no-hitters recorded in 2025 at the MLB level. This outcome surprised many fans because the league had seen frequent no-hitters in recent seasons.
From 2022 through 2024, pitchers combined for multiple no-hitters each year, including solo and combined efforts. League stats show that pitchers still posted strong outings.
Strikeout rates remained high, and several games featured dominant box scores with low hit totals. Still, every no-hit bid ended before the final out.
This absence makes 2025 one of the rare seasons in modern baseball without a single completed no-hitter.
Major League Baseball No-Hitter Drought
The league last experienced a no-hitter-free season in 2005. In 2025, MLB again finished the year without one, marking only the fifth such season since 1969.
MLB.com detailed how unusual this gap is in its coverage of the MLB no-hitter drought in 2025.
Several trends help explain the result. Starting pitchers now throw fewer innings per game, which limits chances to finish nine hitless innings.
Complete games also dropped sharply, with only a few dozen recorded all season. Rule changes played a smaller role.
Shift limits and deeper lineups created more balls in play, increasing the odds of a single hit ending a no-hitter attempt.
Prominent No-Hit Bids and Near Misses
Pitchers still came close on several occasions. According to reports on the MLB season without no-hitters in 2025, four no-hit bids reached the ninth inning.
Notable examples include:
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who lost a no-hitter with one out remaining.
- Nick Martinez, whose bid ended on a leadoff double in the ninth.
- Gavin Williams, who allowed a home run after recording the first out of the ninth.
In total, 11 pitchers carried a no-hit bid through at least seven innings. Each effort fell short, but the stats and game logs show how close several pitchers came to baseball’s rarest feat.
Pitchers Who Threw No-Hitters in 2025
No pitcher recorded a no-hitter during the 2025 MLB regular season. Both complete game efforts and combined no-hitters fell short despite several close attempts and strong outings.
Complete Game No-Hitters
No pitcher completed a full nine-inning no-hitter in 2025. The season ended without a single complete game no-hit performance.
MLB last saw a solo no-hitter on August 2, 2024, when Blake Snell shut down Cincinnati. Reports from MLB confirm that no pitcher repeated that feat in 2025.
Several starters carried no-hitters into the sixth or seventh inning but gave up hits before the final frames. Pitch counts, deeper lineups, and early bullpen use reduced chances for pitchers to stay in games long enough to attempt a complete game no-hitter.
Strikeout totals remained high, but hits still found gaps late.
Combined No-Hitters by Multiple Pitchers
Teams also failed to record a combined no-hitter in 2025. This marked a clear change from recent seasons, when combined no-hitters became more common than complete games.
The most recent combined no-hitter occurred on September 4, 2024, when three Cubs pitchers held Pittsburgh hitless at home. The 2025 MLB no-hitter records show no entries.
Managers frequently used four or more relievers, which increased the chance of a single mistake ending a no-hit bid. Even strong bullpen strikeout performances could not fully suppress contact across nine innings.
Standout Rookie and Veteran Performances
Although no no-hitters occurred, several pitchers still delivered standout games. Veterans posted high strikeout totals and worked deep into games, often allowing just one or two hits.
Rookies also flashed promise by holding teams hitless through the first few innings. Some debuted with five or six no-hit frames before exiting due to pitch limits.
Historical context from the list of Major League Baseball no-hitters shows how unusual a full season without one can be.
Historical Context and No-Hitter Milestones
No-hitters reflect changes in pitching style, rules, and competition across each era. Key performances and long-term trends help explain why these games remain rare, even as pitching depth improves.
Comparison to Previous Eras
Early baseball featured fewer teams, uneven talent, and different rules. These factors shaped how no-hitters occurred.
The first no-hitter came in 1876, when George Bradley pitched a nine-inning hitless game. Some eras produced clusters of historic feats.
In 1938, Johnny Vander Meer threw no-hitters in back-to-back starts, a record that still stands. The 1950s also stood out, with pitchers like Allie Reynolds and Virgil Trucks delivering multiple no-hitters.
Modern pitchers face deeper lineups and strict pitch limits. Even so, no-hitters continue, adding new entries to the complete list of Major League Baseball no-hitters.
Memorable No-Hitters and Pitchers
Several pitchers shaped how fans remember no-hitters. Nolan Ryan leads all pitchers with seven, spanning four decades and multiple teams.
His longevity separates him from every other pitcher. Other standouts include Sandy Koufax, who threw four no-hitters, including a perfect game, and Roy Halladay, who pitched one in the postseason.
Max Scherzer added intensity to the modern era with two no-hitters and one near-perfect game. Unusual cases matter too.
Ken Johnson lost a no-hitter due to errors, while Hideo Nomo broke barriers with hitless games in both leagues. Each example shows how skill, context, and luck intersect.
Rarity and Frequency Over MLB History
No-hitters remain uncommon across baseball history. As of the 2025 season, MLB has recorded just over 320 official no-hitters.
That total includes games from the National and American Leagues, plus recognized Federal League no-hitters.
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| Official MLB no-hitters | 320+ |
| Perfect games | 24 |
| Pitchers with multiple no-hitters | Fewer than 40 |
Pitchers like Walter Johnson, Jim Maloney, Dean Chance, and Jered Weaver appear only once or twice on the record.
The official no-hitter records in Major League Baseball confirm that rarity defines every era.
Key Teams and Notable Achievements
The 2025 season stood out because no team completed a no-hitter. Several clubs came close, but every attempt ended before the final out.
This absence shaped how fans viewed pitching strength, standings pressure, and late-season decisions.
Teams With Most No-Hitters in 2025
No MLB team recorded a no-hitter during the 2025 regular season. The league finished the year with zero, a rare outcome confirmed by league coverage of the no-hitter drought in 2025.
| Team | No-Hitters |
|---|---|
| All MLB teams | 0 |
The Chicago Cubs entered the year with recent history on their side after a combined no-hitter in September 2024. They did not repeat that feat in 2025.
The Minnesota Twins also failed to reach the mark, despite solid rotation depth and strong defensive play. Several teams carried no-hit bids into late innings.
None finished the job, which kept the table empty across the league.
### Unusual or Historic Outcomes
MLB played a full regular season without a no-hitter for the first time since 2005. League reporting confirmed this rare outcome in coverage of a season without a no-hitter.
Pitchers took no-hit bids into the ninth inning multiple times. Each time, a batter broke up the no-hitter, often on the first batter of the inning.
These near-misses added tension. None resulted in a record-book entry.
Strikeout rates stayed high, and batting averages remained low. Random timing and late-game execution made the difference.
### League and Team Records
The lack of no-hitters did not change official MLB records. It did shape team narratives.
Clubs chasing playoff spots focused more on standings than individual feats. Managers often pulled starters earlier to protect arms for October and the World Series.
Teams outside contention leaned toward evaluation. Late-season call-ups and draft positioning took priority over extended no-hit bids.
That approach reduced risk. It also limited chances for history.
The Cubs and Twins finished the year with strong pitching metrics but no defining no-hit game. The 2025 draft and future rotations now carry the weight of ending the drought.
Noteworthy Players and Unique No-Hitter Facts
No-hitters often depend on more than pitching alone. Some pitchers helped themselves at the plate, and fielders made key plays.
Small moments decided whether a no-no survived or slipped away.
Pitchers Who Made History With the Bat
A few pitchers added rare offensive moments to their no-hitters. Jim Tobin stands out as the only pitcher to hit a home run in both games of a doubleheader, including one that was a no-hitter.
That feat remains one of the most unusual moments tied to a no-no, as shown in the complete list of Major League Baseball no-hitters.
Other pitchers helped with sacrifice bunts or run-scoring hits. These plays mattered most in low-scoring games.
Why it matters to fans:
- Extra run support reduced pressure late.
- A pitcher’s at-bat sometimes changed strategy.
- It added to the legend of a complete game no-hitter.
Defensive Plays and Rare Feats
Defense often decides whether a no-hitter survives. Fielders turned hard line drives into outs and saved runs with diving catches.
Some no-hitters included multiple errors, yet still counted because no hits were allowed under the rules.
In rare cases, a pitcher recorded long streaks of no-hit innings across starts. That level of control showed skill beyond a single night.
Details like these appear in official breakdowns of MLB no-hitter facts and figures.
Common defensive factors:
- Clean double plays
- Outfield assists at the wall
- Strong catcher framing on close pitches
Unusual Ways No-Hitters Were Preserved or Lost
Many no-hitters ended on the final out with tension high. Others fell apart late when a bloop single spoiled a long no-hit bid.
Walks, hit batters, and passed balls also played roles. These factors appeared even in official no-hitters.
Several games stayed intact through odd events. Rain delays broke rhythm, yet pitchers returned sharp.
Some no-nos survived despite wild pitches or missed calls. You can find a full record of these outcomes in the all-time MLB no-hitters archive.
Key moments that changed outcomes:
- Late-inning walks
- Infield hits
- Manager decisions on pitch counts
