Does a pitcher have to pitch the whole game to get a no-hitter?

The current Major League Baseball definition, since 1991, of a no-hitter is “a game in which a pitcher, or pitchers, gives up no hits while pitching at least nine innings. A pitcher may give up a run or runs so long as he pitches nine innings or more and does not give up a hit.”

Why don’t you swing at the first pitch?

Swinging at the first pitch may give a hitter the best chance to get a big hit, particularly if they are not the kind of hitter that has trouble turning a 1-1 count into 2-1. But it will also lead to fewer walks and more outs, making it more difficult to score runs.

Why do pitchers not pitch every game?

The major reason players pitch on four days rest is that they are better pitchers when they do so. They are able to throw harder, throw more pitches, and throw more difficult pitches (with more spin/etc.) than they would if they had less rest. They are also less prone to injury.

Do walks count in a no-hitter?

The requirements are different than the traditional definition; the game is a shutout victory where the starting pitcher pitches the entire game while allowing no hits, and no runs are scored (a no-hitter by the traditional definition runs may score by walk, hit by pitch, defensive interference, errors, stolen bases.

Why do baseball players watch the first pitch?

The ones who can throw a fastball for a strike every time usually throw it straight down the middle. So you take the first one for a strike, and you get the batter’s view of what that pitch looks like. When you see that pitch again, you can recognize it early and hit it.

Why do batters take a strike?

Obviously, most of the “advantage” of laying off first pitch we’re seeing here is generated by those at-bats in which the batter takes a ball on first pitch. So, naturally, taking a called strike on first pitch leads to fewer favorable outcomes for hitters than taking a ball.