Dylan Cease on Thursday threw the second no-hitter in San Diego Padres history, and he essentially had to intervene on his own behalf to get it done.
Cease no-hit the Washington Nationals with three walks and nine strikeouts in Thursday’s game, completing the feat with a career-high 114 pitches. By Cease’s retelling, the effort nearly did not come to pass, however.
In his postgame interview with the Padres’ TV broadcast, Cease admitted that manager Mike Shildt had told him he was done after seven no-hit innings. That was not going to fly with Cease, who successfully lobbied his manager to let him go back out for the eighth inning.
"I've thrown 113 pitches this year. Thankfully they let me talk him into it, and here we are."
After lobbying to stay in the game after the 7th inning, Dylan Cease needed one more pitch (114) than his season-high to finish the no-hitter. pic.twitter.com/808Sx3XQxG
— MLB (@MLB) July 25, 2024
“He said, ‘Nice job.’ And I looked up, and it was like 94 pitches,” Cease admitted. “I just said, ‘I feel great, and if we get through the next one in 105, I’ve thrown 113 this year.’ Thankfully, they let me talk them into it, and here we are.”
Cease had, in fact, thrown 94 pitches through seven innings. He then put together a nine-pitch eighth, allowing him to start the ninth at 103 pitches. He needed just 11 to get the final three outs.
Not coincidentally, Cease could be seen thanking Shildt on the field after the game.
Dylan Cease to Mike Shildt: "thank you" pic.twitter.com/QzDGT3WSTj
— Talking Friars (@TalkingFriars) July 25, 2024
In a time when pitchers are pulled increasingly frequently during no-hit bids due to their pitch count, Shildt deserves credit for giving Cease a shot at finishing things. After all, the Padres only led 3-0, so even a single baserunner had the potential to make things interesting. Cease very much rewarded his manager for the decision.
