Randy Johnson says Bumgarner’s performance shouldn’t be no-hitter
Left-hander Madison Bumgarner’s dominant performance last weekend in Atlanta has ignited debate about whether his outing should go in the record books as an official no-hitter despite it occurring in a seven-inning game.
Count Hall of Famer and Diamondbacks legend Randy Johnson among those who aren’t so sure it should count.
“Uh, I don’t know,” Johnson said during an in-game appearance on the Diamondbacks’ broadcast Friday night on Bally Sports Arizona. “Let’s play nine innings. Isn’t that the way this game is meant to do and been done for the last 100 years?”
It was pointed out to Johnson during the broadcast that six times in his career he had no-hitters broken up in the eighth or ninth innings. All six occasions came during his time with the Seattle Mariners. Johnson then brought up Nolan Ryan, who threw a record seven no-hitters and had 16 others broken up in the eighth or ninth.
“I’m sure if you looked me up then you probably looked up Nolan Ryan and you know what that big number is,” Johnson said. “I think it was 16 or 17 times he lost. I kind of look at it as — I don’t think it was (a no-hitter). It’s out of respect more for the people who played the game when I was playing it and the hundred years up to the point when I did start playing it. Can you imagine Nolan Ryan having 24 no-hitters? Come on.”
Johnson threw one no-hitter and one perfect game in his career. The no-hitter came in 1990 while pitching for the Mariners. He threw the perfect game for the Diamondbacks in 2004.
Johnson said the more important takeaway from Bumgarner’s performance against the Braves was what it could mean to his season.
“There’s no doubt that it’s a great feat,” Johnson said. “What I hope MadBum gets from that performance is being locked in. That’s what truly is more important. We’re only in the second month of the season and I’m hoping it’s a performance like that that gets him locked in. This team is only going to go as far as the pitching staff.”
Bumgarner faced the minimum over seven no-hit innings last weekend, pitching in the second game of a doubleheader in which both games were scheduled for seven innings.
Short hops
*Bumgarner alternated throwing to catchers Carson Kelly and Stephen Vogt while struggling during his first three starts of the season, but he has thrown only to Kelly during his three-start hot streak. “I like throwing to him for sure,” Bumgarner said. “We’ve got a good thing going with the catchers here between Carson and Vogt. I think anybody looks forward to throwing to either one of them.”
*First baseman Christian Walker played in a game at the alternate site on Friday and was scheduled to play again on Saturday. Walker is nearing a return from an oblique injury.
*Right-hander Joakim Soria, who is returning from a calf injury, logged an inning at the alternate site, throwing 12 pitches. After the outing, he worked on fielding his position, Lovullo said.
*Center fielder Ketel Marte, who had been rehabbing at Salt River Fields, worked out at Chase Field with the bigleague team each of the past two days. “We wanted to get a chance to spend a little time with him and see where he’s at,” Lovullo said. GM Mike Hazen said Friday that Marte’s hamstring still needs to heal from the strain he suffered