Inside The Padres

Padres Pitcher Loses No-Hitter Bid, Then Exits With Apparent Injury

J.P. Hoornstra|
West Sacramento, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Martín Maldonado (15) visits the mound with third base Manny Machado (13) and pitcher Dylan Cease (84) during the first inning of the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park.
West Sacramento, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Martín Maldonado (15) visits the mound with third base Manny Machado (13) and pitcher Dylan Cease (84) during the first inning of the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

In this story:

San Diego Padres

San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease left his start against the New York Yankees in the bottom of the seventh inning on Wednesday with an apparent injury — a dramatic turn of events in an inning that began with him pursuing a no-hitter.

After the game, manager Mike Shildt told reporters (including A.J. Cassavell of MLB.com) that he is hopeful Cease is diagnosed with nothing more than a forearm cramp.

"He wanted to keep pitching," Shildt said. "He threw the ball fantastic. Legitimate no-hit stuff. It was going to be a decision whether that was going to be a combined win or his, but Bellinger had something to say about it."

The manager said Cease would undergo further evaluation.

Cease had not allowed a hit to the Yankees' powerful lineup through six innings when Cody Bellinger smoked a solo home run to right field, tying the game 1-1 in the seventh.

Later in the inning, Cease exited the game with an athletic trainer after flexing his hand on the mound, apparently unable to continue pitching.

Jason Adam took over for Cease and got the final out of the seventh inning to preserve the 1-1 score.

Despite losing the no-hit bid, Cease's final line against the Yankees was impressive: 6.2 innings, one hit and one run allowed, along with two walks and nine strikeouts.

More news: Padres Pitcher Wins Major Award from MLB

The greater concern was Cease's health. An update might not arrive until after the game, which the Padres lost 4-3 in 10 innings.

The Padres loaded the bases in the top of the 10th inning, but did not score. In the bottom of the 10th, the Yankees walked off the Padres on a sacrifice fly by J.C. Escarra.

More news: Padres Outfielder Jackson Merrill's Rehab Location, Date Set

If Cease goes on the injured list, it will be only his second IL stay in a career that began in 2019. The first was in April 2021, when he made a brief visit to the IL as a precaution in response to a possible COVID-19 exposure.

In eight starts this season, Cease is 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA. After allowing just 137 hits in 189.1 innings in 2024, Cease's first season with the Padres, he's allowed 40 hits in 40.1 innings this year.

More news: Former Padres Infielder to Pause Baseball Career for Military Service

Cease's best start of the season not only did not yield a victory, it might have left him hurt beyond Wednesday. The Padres will hope for the best as they await the results of Cease's medical evaluation.

San Diego has an off-day Thursday before visiting the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a three-game series Friday in Denver.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.

Published | Modified
J.P. Hoornstra
J.P. HOORNSTRA

J.P. Hoornstra is an On SI Contributor. A veteran of 20 years of sports coverage for daily newspapers in California, J.P. covered MLB, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Los Angeles Angels (occasionally of Anaheim) from 2012-23 for the Southern California News Group. His first book, The 50 Greatest Dodgers Games of All-Time, published in 2015. In 2016, he won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for breaking news coverage. He once recorded a keyboard solo on the same album as two of the original Doors.

Share on XFollow jphoornstra
Home/San Diego Padres News