Astros Pitchers Combine for 9-0 No-Hitter Against Rangers

The Houston Astros completed a 9-0 no-hit shutout against the Texas Rangers on Monday.

Tatsuya Imai started and pitched six innings. Relievers Steven Okert and Alimber Santa finished the game without allowing a hit.

The victory was the first no-hitter in Major League Baseball since Shota Imanaga and two Chicago Cubs relievers combined for a 12-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in September 2024. The last complete-game no-hitter occurred in August 2024, when Blake Snell held the Cincinnati Reds hitless.

Imai recorded 16 outs over his final 16 batters faced. He walked three of his first four batters but benefited from a double play in the first inning before settling in. Okert pitched the seventh inning. Santa made his major-league debut in the eighth and retired all six batters he faced. His 24th pitch was a called third strike against Brandon Nimmo that ended the game after an ABS challenge was upheld.

The no-hitter was the 17th in Astros regular-season history and the fourth that was a combined effort. Houston also threw a combined no-hitter in the 2022 World Series against Philadelphia. The Rangers were held without a hit for the sixth time in franchise history and the first time since Corey Kluber threw a no-hitter for the New York Yankees in May 2021.

Imai is in his first major-league season after signing a $54 million, three-year contract with Houston in January. The 28-year-old right-hander was a three-time All-Star in eight seasons in Japan and went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA last season for the Seibu Lions.