Corey Kluber tossed a no-hitter against the Rangers, the sixth one of a season that’s seen pitchers dominate while MLB hoped for more offense. Kluber, who pitched just one game for Texas the year before, was bizarrely honored with a Rangers bobblehead giveaway that day—a leftover from a marketing plan gone sideways after his brief stint there. He made the most of his return, carving through the lineup while relying on what he calls the “Kluball,” a pitch somewhere between a curve and a slider.
His command held through the final three innings, with help from some tight defense against balls that had high expected batting averages. DJ LeMahieu handled a tough hop at third, and Tyler Wade tracked down a tricky fly in right after coming in as an injury sub. Kluber stayed composed, mixing pitches and trusting his defense. When the final out rolled to Gleyber Torres, the clubhouse burst out, with Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole leading the charge over the dugout rail. Judge nailed him with the first water bottle, then Mike Ford and Gary Sánchez followed for the full soaking. Derek Dietrich surprisingly showed up amid the celebration, despite most assuming he was at the alternate site.
After all the hugs came out—including Aaron Boone pausing to watch before reluctantly joining in—Kluber and catcher Kyle Higashioka finally linked up for their moment. It was the first time Kluber met several of his new teammates during the postgame celebration. With the no-no locked in, the Yankees kept pace in a season where pitchers ruled, and everyone wondered just how many more no-hitters were still to come.