Houston’s Framber Valdez Pitches No-Hitter; Justin Verlander Rejoins Astros

It took just 93 pitches for Houston left hander Framber Valdez to throw the Astros’ 16th no hitter, the first by a southpaw, on August 1st when Houston beat the Cleveland Guardians 2-0. Valdez was nearly flawless, allowing one walk which was erased by a double play, and striking out seven on the way to his ninth victory of the season.

It was a big day for Houston’s pitching staff. Besides the no hitter, The Astros reacquired Justin Verlander in a trade with the New York Mets. Verlander was 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA for the Astros in 2022, before signing as a free agent with the Mets for big money. The three time Cy Young Award winner got off to a slow start, opening the season on the injured list and posting a 2-2 record with a 4.80 ERA in May. But he was 4-1 with a 1.69 ERA in July, and should prove to be a big boost to Houston’s pitching staff down the stretch.

The Astros and Texas Rangers are running neck and neck in the A.L. West race. A few days earlier, the Mets traded their other three time Cy Young winner, Max Scherzer, to the Rangers so the former teammates will compete against each other in the West race. The Rangers and Astros have three games left against each other, September 4th-6th in Arlington. Houston has a 5-3 season series lead.