Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco completed a no-hitter in his eighth Major League Baseball start. It’s the 17th no-hitter in Astros history. More importantly, it gave his team a 10-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays at Minute Maid Park.
It’s an improbable feat for the Dominican pitcher who received a $5,000 signing bonus from the Astros. The no-hitter is the first time he went over six innings and 105 pitches in an MLB game. Blanco had a complete game in 105 pitches.
In the 8th start of his career, Ronel Blanco has thrown a no-hitter! pic.twitter.com/lHxENPJ0x3
— MLB (@MLB) April 2, 2024
Jose Urquidy's and Justin Verlander's injuries allowed Blanco to make the MLB roster. That’s why he made the roster only until the Astros’ final spring game. He did not waste his opportunity to introduce himself to the baseball world, especially with Jose Abreu and Josh Hader, who were both unavailable because they had pitched in the previous game.
Leadoff hitter George Springer was the only Blue Jays player to reach base against Blanco. The rest of the team struggled as they committed 20 whiffs out of 59 swings. The Blue Jays had no answer for Blanco’s changeup as it became the finishing pitch for his seven strikeouts.
Aside from 36 changeups, he also threw 34 sliders, and 31 fastballs. The Blue Jays sent only three balls to the outfield, which were easy flyouts.
Blanco earned the first no-hitter in the 2024 MLB season after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. chopped a changeup to second base for the easy out, sealing the Astros’ first victory this season after five games.
-Lance Fernandez