The Houston Astros achieved a remarkable feat on Monday night, as pitchers Tatsuya Imai, Steven Okert, and Alimber Santa collaborated to deliver a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers, resulting in a commanding 9-0 victory. This marks the Astros’ 17th regular-season no-hitter in the franchise’s history.
This no-hitter is particularly significant as it is the first one recorded in Major League Baseball since September 4, 2024, when Shota Imanaga and two relievers from the Chicago Cubs held the Pittsburgh Pirates hitless in a 12-0 game. Notably, no pitcher has completed a solo no-hitter since Blake Snell achieved the feat for the San Francisco Giants against the Cincinnati Reds on August 2, 2024.
Imai delivered an impressive performance, pitching six innings and becoming part of the fourth combined no-hitter in Astros history. The team had previously thrown a no-hitter during the 2022 World Series, where four pitchers combined to silence the Philadelphia Phillies.
During the game, Imai retired the last 16 batters he faced after walking three of the first four hitters. He displayed resilience and skill, allowing him to settle into a rhythm after a shaky start. Okert took over in the seventh inning, while Santa made his major league debut in the eighth, successfully retiring all six batters he encountered. The final strikeout came on a called third strike against Brandon Nimmo, following a challenge that confirmed the call.
The Rangers were held without a hit for the sixth time in their history, with their last no-hitter against them being thrown by Corey Kluber while he was with the New York Yankees on May 19, 2021. Imai’s control improved as the game progressed; despite issuing four walks, he maintained a strong strike rate, throwing 57 of his 97 pitches for strikes while recording two strikeouts.
The 28-year-old Imai is in his inaugural season in Major League Baseball after moving from Japan, where he had an illustrious career. Prior to this outing, he had struggled with a 1-2 record and an 8.31 ERA across his first five starts. Imai joined the Astros in January under a three-year contract worth $54 million and previously earned three All-Star selections during his eight seasons in Japan. Last season, he achieved a 10-5 record with a 1.92 ERA for the Seibu Lions, striking out 178 batters in 163.2 innings.
The game also featured a standout defensive play by shortstop Jeremy Peña, who made a remarkable backhand stop and twisting throw to retire Joc Pederson in the third inning. The Rangers threatened with deep flyouts in the fifth inning, but ultimately fell short against the Astros’ dominant pitching performance.
