Spencer Turnbull became the fifth MLB pitcher to throw a no-hitter this season in the Tigers’ 5-0 win over the Mariners on Tuesday. He threw 117 pitches and struck out nine batters while completely keeping the Mariners’ offense in check.
But it was nothing new for Seattle, which has now joined an infamous club. The Mariners were also no-hit by the Orioles’ John Means on May 5, and by virtue of Turnbull’s no-hitter became the fourth team in MLB history to be held hitless twice within a 14-day span, per Fox Sports: MLB.
And it was nearly three times. In between those outings, the Mariners were held hitless through seven innings by Indians pitcher Zach Plesac.
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Speaking of the Indians and infamous clubs, they also have been no-hit twice this season. Carlos Rodon (White Sox) and Wade Miley (Reds) held them without a hit in late April and early May, respectively. That made Cleveland only the third club in MLB history to be no-hit twice within its first 31 games, per Elias Sports.
That highlights a trend for both the Mariners and the Indians. Their offenses are performing at an embarrassing clip a quarter of the way through the MLB season. They rank bottom-10 in most major statistical categories, and the Mariners have batted particularly poorly and are currently sitting below the Mendoza line as a team.
| Mariners | Stat | Indians |
| 3.88 (26th) | Runs per game | 4.08 (20th) |
| 6.23 (Last) | Hits per game | 6.97 (29th) |
| .199 (Last) | Batting Average | .213 (28th) |
| .280 (Last) | On Base % | .285 (29th) |
| .362 (26th) | Slugging % | .387 (19th) |
Needless to say, these numbers aren’t good and help to explain why Cleveland and Seattle have been completely shut down twice this season.
However, despite their poor offensive performances, the Indians and Mariners still sport competitive records. The Indians are 22-18 on the year and are just 2.5 games back of first place in the AL Central. Meanwhile, the Mariners are 21-22, five games off the pace in the AL West but still ahead of where many expected they’d be this year.
Still, unless these teams can turn their offenses around, it’s hard to imagine their relative success continuing. The Indians probably have a better chance of turning things around given their strong, Shane Bieber-led pitching staff while the Mariners will continue to be a work in progress as they further integrate prospects such as Jared Kelenic and Logan Gilbert into their big-league roster.
But if both offenses continue to scuffle, they could each run the risk of becoming the first club in MLB history to be no-hit three times in the same season.
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