The Toronto Blue Jays' right-hander Bowden Francis was heartbreakingly close to etching his name into baseball history yet again. On a crisp evening under the lights, Francis lost a no-hit bid for the second time in his last four starts. Despite his near-miss, his performance is being hailed as one of sheer brilliance and immense promise.
A Ninth-Inning Heartbreaker
Francis's masterful outing saw him working eight hitless innings with poise and precision. His performance was marred by a single pitch in the ninth inning, a leadoff home run delivered by Mets' shortstop Francisco Lindor. Prior to Lindor’s shot, Francis had retired the side on just six pitches in the eighth inning, exemplifying the dominant control he exhibited throughout the game.
The Mets' eventual 6-2 victory not only dashed Francis's dreams but also underscored the game’s mercurial nature. For Toronto fans, it was a painful flashback to just eighteen days earlier when Francis lost another no-hitter in the ninth inning to a home run by Taylor Ward of the Los Angeles Angels.
Emerging as a Dominant Force
Francis's recent outings have cemented his status as one of the league's most formidable pitchers. In four of his last six starts, he has allowed zero or just one hit, with each outing lasting at least seven innings. His consistency is staggering; over his last 43 innings pitched, Francis has conceded a mere 12 hits.
The statistics only tell part of the story. Francis's eight innings against the Mets featured just one strikeout, a testament to his ability to rely on his defense and keep hitters off balance with his pitch selection and location.
The Larger Context
The Mets' win was not just significant because of the nigh no-hitter; it also played a crucial role in their playoff aspirations. The victory allowed them to maintain their grip on the third and final National League wild-card spot, a critical position as the regular season winds down.
The game’s dramatic turn—featuring the largest gap by a team being no-hit through eight innings since the 1990 White Sox against the Yankees—underscores the unyielding competitiveness of the sport. Fans were reminded of the storied no-hitter thrown by Dave Stieb for the Blue Jays on September 2, 1990, highlighting the elusiveness of such a feat across decades.
A Season of Close Calls
This season has been peppered with near no-hitters, adding to its historic flavor. Francis's effort could have been the fifth no-hitter of the 2024 MLB season, reminding fans of the timeless allure of such achievements. Just a week prior, Shota Imanaga and two Chicago Cubs relievers combined to no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates, demonstrating the league-wide upsurge in pitching dominance.
The spotlight will inevitably continue to shine on Bowden Francis. His recent stretches of excellence suggest that it is not a matter of 'if' but 'when' he will finally complete a no-hitter. Until that day arrives, each of his performances will be watched with bated breath, as fans and analysts alike marvel at his growing prowess on the mound.
Francis’s journey and heartbreaking near-misses capture the essence of baseball—a sport where history can unfold in the blink of an eye, and where legends are made not just in triumph, but in resilience and enduring potential.