Rookie pitcher comes close to ending Cleveland's 45-year no-hitter drought

Parker Messick loses no-hit bid in 9th inning of Guardians' win over Orioles

Apr. 17, 2026 at 7:22pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball pitcher's delivery and the final moments of a no-hit bid, with overlapping planes of color representing the Guardians and Orioles uniforms.A near-miss no-hitter highlights the Guardians' ongoing quest to end their 45-year drought without a no-hit game.Cleveland Today

Rookie left-hander Parker Messick came within three outs of ending Cleveland's 45-year drought without a no-hitter, but lost his bid in the ninth inning of the Guardians' 4-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.

Why it matters

Cleveland has the longest current gap between no-hitters of any major league franchise, with the team's most recent one coming from Len Barker's perfect game on May 15, 1981. Messick's near-miss continues the Guardians' frustrating search for their next no-hitter.

The details

Messick faced only one batter over the minimum through eight innings, silencing a potent Orioles lineup. He was removed to a standing ovation after giving up a leadoff single in the ninth, finishing with 9 strikeouts and just 2 runs allowed over 8+ innings.

  • Messick came within 3 outs of a no-hitter on April 17, 2026.
  • Cleveland's last no-hitter was Len Barker's perfect game on May 15, 1981.

The players

Parker Messick

A 25-year-old rookie left-hander for the Cleveland Guardians who came within 3 outs of throwing the team's first no-hitter in 45 years.

Len Barker

The last Cleveland pitcher to throw a no-hitter, with his perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 15, 1981.

Stephen Vogt

The manager of the Cleveland Guardians, who praised Messick's dominant performance.

Austin Hedges

The catcher for the Cleveland Guardians, who worked closely with Messick on his pitch sequencing and execution.

Craig Albernaz

The first-year manager of the Baltimore Orioles, who previously served as a coach for the Guardians.

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What they’re saying

“That was very special what we got to watch tonight. That's an unbelievably talented lineup that he took a no-hitter into the ninth against and just continued to attack.”

— Stephen Vogt, Guardians Manager

“The crowd got pretty loud and that's an awesome feeling when everybody gets into it. I was really trying to lock in every pitch.”

— Parker Messick

“The boys were into it the whole game. Once Leody got that hit, I equate it to a sniper in the NBA, where it only takes one to go in for everything to change.”

— Craig Albernaz, Orioles Manager

What’s next

Messick will look to build on this near-no-hitter performance in his next start for the Guardians as they continue their quest to end the franchise's 45-year drought without a no-hitter.

The takeaway

Despite falling just short, Messick's dominant outing showcases the Guardians' promising young pitching talent and reignites hope that Cleveland's long wait for a no-hitter may soon come to an end.