Johnny Vander Meer threw back-to-back no-hitters in 1938.
Max Scherzer threw a no-hitter on the penultimate day of the 2015 season, blanking the New York Mets 2-0. That means he could theoretically tie Vander Meer’s major-league of back-to-back no-hitters record by tossing one in his first start of the 2016 season. Could it happen?
No way, according to the SB Nation-Federal Baseball blog, as early-season pitch counts and big-money contracts don’t let star arms go deep into early games.
“I’m not throwing a no-hitter Opening Day,” Scherzer said. “I can’t — it’s just not going to happen.”
It didn’t happen the previous two season either. The Nationals’ Jordan Zimmermann tossed a no-no on the final day of the 2014 season. He got the start against the Mets in the second game of the 2015 season and got the W, but he gave up one run on six hits in six innings worth of work.
The Miami Marlins’ Henderson Álvarez no-hit the Detroit Tigers on the final game of the 2013 season on a walk-off wild pitch, but things didn’t go as well in his next start. In the third game of the Marlins’ 2014 season, the Colorado Rockies sent Álvarez to the showers after just three innings when the righty gave up six runs on seven hits.
