Tag-team no-hitters wave of future

Six weeks into the season, MLB has already witnessed three no-hitters and a nearly unprecedented rate of late-inning bids.

And it is probably not a fluke of random clustering. It may be here to stay.

Three no-hitters by the second week of May is something baseball hasn’t seen since 1969. And entering Friday, there had already been 20 instances of a no-hitter carried into the seventh inning —not seen since 1968.

The record for no-hitters in a season is seven, done four times. This year we’re on pace for 12.

It’s not hard to see why. Hitters are striking out in 22.7 percent of plate appearances, the highest in history and the 18th straight year with an increase. Meantime, the leaguewide batting average of .245 is at a 46-year low. April was the first month in history in which strikeouts exceeded hits; May is on its way to being second.

In 2010, 72.2 percent of plate appearances ended with a ball put in play. This year, the rate is 66.6 percent. More strikeouts plus fewer balls in play equals fewer hits — which, in turn, equals more no-hit bids.

A symbol for where baseball appears to be heading is the May 4 no-hitter when Dodgers rookie Walker Buehler and three relievers held the Padres hitless for nine innings.

That’s the type of no-hitter we’ll likely see more of in the future. With starters averaging about 5 ⁄ innings, the tag-team no-hitter may become the norm.

Not so long ago, it was almost unheard of to remove a starting pitcher six innings into a nohitter. This season that has happened five times.

That’s where baseball is. And like rising strikeouts and fewer balls in play, it is something we’ll probably have to get used to.