Texas Rangers help San Diego Padres get no-hitter monkey off their backs

29 Major League ballclubs had witnessed a pitcher toss a vaunted no-hitter for their team at least once going into Friday night’s series opener between the San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.

That number finally increased to 30 in the waning hours of the day.

San Diego native and Padres’ righty Joe Musgrove became the first pitcher in that organization’s history to go the distance without surrendering a hit. The Padres have been in existence since 1969.

Joe Musgrove made San Diego Padres history against the Texas Rangers.

It was a moment of true elation for Padres fans, who already have fond memories of this ballpark from 2020 (Fernando Tatis Jr.’s grand slam on 3-0, anyone?).

Finally, though, San Diego was able to get the no-hitter monkey off their back after coming agonizingly close multiple times.

Ironically, current Texas Rangers GM Chris Young (in attendance Friday) was one of those former Padres hurlers who had come so close prior to Musgrove’s feat.

Musgrove was lights-out in the start, having only needed 112 pitches to mow down a previously (and surprisingly) potent Texas Rangers lineup over nine innings.

The 28-year-old right-hander struck out 10 Rangers hitters, with his only blemish being a Joey Gallo hit-by-pitch.

Pretty impressive (both the near perfect game and Gallo’s thick thighs, of course!).

As for the Texas Rangers, it’s never fun to be on the wrong side of history. Sometimes, though, all you can do is respect the accomplishment and bounce back the next day.

It wasn’t the result they wanted, but Texas Rangers players and fans should respect this no-hitter in particular.

It’s not as though Musgrove no-hit murderer’s row, but that didn’t diminish the history-making factor or the excitement of finally getting the Padres off the schneid when it comes to no-hitters.

Lost in the shuffle of last night’s game was the fact that Texas Rangers pitching did hold San Diego’s dominant lineup to just three runs, with Kohei Arihara notching a quality start building off of his debut in Kansas City.

Those developments, while positive, should rightly take a backseat to the history the Texas Rangers helped make last night.

The Rangers have had four no-hitters and a perfect game in their franchise history, the last coming by Kenny Rogers on July 28, 1994 (perfect against the California Angels).

The San Diego Padres can now say they have one, even if it came at the expense of the Texas Rangers.