Clayton Kershaw was six outs away from potentially throwing the 24th perfect game in MLB history in his 2022 regular season debut before Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the difficult decision to remove him.
Had Kershaw gone the distance, he would have joined Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers in Dodgers history to throw a perfect game. Both pitchers have thrown a no-hitter, with Kershaw owning one and Koufax being the franchise’s all-time leader at four.
All-in-all, the Dodgers have thrown the most no-hitters of any MLB team with 26. Thirteen of those have come in L.A., 10 occurred when the team played in Brooklyn, and the other three happened before 1890.
List of Dodgers no-hitters
May 4, 2018: Combined no-hitter
The Dodgers’ most recent no-hitter was a combined effort by Walker Buehler, Tony Cingrani, Yimi Garcia and Adam Liberatore in a 4-0 victory over the San Diego Padres in the opener of MLB’s Mexico Series.
June 18, 2014: Clayton Kershaw
Kershaw did not allow a hit to the Colorado Rockies and struck out 15 batters without issuing a walk in an 8-0 Dodgers win. If not for a Hanley Ramirez error in the seventh inning, the left-hander would have thrown a perfect game.
May 25, 2014: Josh Beckett
Three weeks before Kershaw’s masterpiece against the Rockies, Josh Beckett threw the Dodgers’ first no-hitter since 1996. He struck out six and walked three in a 6-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Sept. 17, 1996: Hideo Nomo
Hideo Nomo threw the first no-hitter in Coors Field history, striking out nine and walking four in a 9-0 win over the Rockies. He went on to throw another no-hitter as a member of the Boston Red Sox in 2001.
July 14, 1995: Ramon Martinez
In what was part of a stellar 1995 season that saw him finish fifth in National League Cy Young Award voting, Ramon Martinez did not allow a hit and struck out eight in a dominant start against the Miami Marlins that amounted to a 7-0 win for the Dodgers. He lost his perfect game bid in the eighth inning by issuing a walk.
Aug. 17, 1992: Kevin Gross
Kevin Gross did not allow a hit, notched six strikeouts and had two walks in a 2-0 win over the San Francisco Giants. It marked the Dodgers’ sixth no-hitter against their rival.
June 29, 1990: Fernando Valenzuela
In what was his final game with the Dodgers, Fernando Valenzuela did not allow a hit and struck out seven batters in a 6-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
June 27, 1980: Jerry Reuss
Jerry Reuss snapped the Dodgers’ 10-year drought by throwing a no-hitter against the Giants. If not for an error in the first inning, he would have pitched a perfect game.
July 20, 1970: Bill Singer
Bill Singer threw 114 pitches and collected 10 strikeouts without allowing a hit in a 5-0 win against the Phillies. He nearly had another one during the previous month, pitching 7.2 no-hit innings against the Atlanta Braves.
Sept. 9, 1965: Sandy Koufax
Koufax threw his final no-hitter and only perfect game on this date in a 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs. He struck out his final six batters, giving him a total of 14.
June 4, 1964: Sandy Koufax
Koufax faced the minimum and threw only 97 pitches in a 3-0 win over the Phillies. He became only the second pitcher to throw three no-hitters, joining Bob Feller.
May 11, 1963: Sandy Koufax
Koufax was nearly perfect in an 8-0 win over the Giants, but had to settle for his second career no-hitter after issuing a full-count walk with one out in the eighth inning.
June 30, 1962: Sandy Koufax
Koufax threw his first no-hitter against the New York Mets in their inaugural season. He struck out 13 batters and walked five in a 5-0 Dodgers win.
Sept. 25, 1956: Sal Maglie
Sal Maglie pitched the final no-hitter in Brooklyn franchise history on this date as the Dodgers earned a 5-0 win over the Phillies.
May 12, 1956: Carl Erskine
Carl Erskine is one of only two Dodgers pitchers to throw multiple no-hitters, recording his second in a 3-0 win over the Giants. He struck out three batters and was helped by a Jackie Robinson web gem in the fifth inning.
June 19, 1952: Carl Erskine
Erskine threw his first no-hitter on this date in a 5-0 win over the Cubs and was one walk away from completing a perfect game. He is responsible for two of the NL’s seven no-hitters during the 1950s.
Sept. 9, 1948: Rex Barney
Rex Barney had an up-and-down 1948 season but enjoyed his best moment when he did not allow a hit in a 2-0 win over the Giants.
April 23, 1946: Ed Head
Ed Head is responsible for MLB’s first no-hitter after World War II. He struck out one in a 5-0 win over the Boston Braves.
April 30, 1940: Tex Carleton
Tex Carleton walked the first batter and was let down by the defense, but retired the final 17 batters and finished a no-hitter in a 3-0 win against the Cincinnati Reds.
Sept. 13, 1925: Dazzy Vance
Dazzy Vance allowed two unearned runs but no hits in a 10-1 win over the Phillies. He is the only Dodgers pitcher to allow a run in a no-hitter.
Sept. 5, 1908: Nap Rucker
Nap Rucker became the first left-handed pitcher to throw a no-hitter on this date in a 6-0 win over the Boston Doves.
July 20, 1906: Mal Eason
Mal Eason pitched the first road no-hitter in Dodgers franchise history on this date in a 2-0 win over the Cardinals.
June 22, 1891: Tom Lovett
Tom Lovett pitched the first recognized no-hitter for the then-Brooklyn Grooms on this date in a 4-0 win over the Giants.
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