List of Kansas City Royals no-hitters


The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Kansas City, Missouri. Formed in 1969, they play in the American League Central division. Pitchers for the Royals have thrown 4 no-hitters in franchise history. A no-hitter is officially recognized by Major League Baseball only "when a pitcher allows no hits during the entire course of a game, which consists of at least nine innings", though batters "may reach base via a walk, an error, a hit by pitch, a passed ball or wild pitch on strike three, or catcher's interference." No-hitters of less than nine complete innings were previously recognized by the league as official; however, several rule alterations in 1991 changed the rule to its current form. A no-hitter is rare enough that one team in Major League Baseball, the San Diego Padres, has never had a pitcher accomplish the feat. No perfect games, a special subcategory of no-hitter, have been thrown in Royals history. As defined by Major League Baseball, "in a perfect game, no batter reaches any base during the course of the game."
The umpire is also an integral part of any no-hitter. The task of the umpire in a baseball game is to make any decision "which involves judgment, such as, but not limited to, whether a batted ball is fair or foul, whether a pitch is a strike or a ball, or whether a runner is safe or out… is final." Part of the duties of the umpire making calls at home plate includes defining the strike zone, which "is defined as that area over homeplate the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the hollow beneath the kneecap." These calls define every baseball game and are therefore integral to the completion of any no-hitter.
The manager is another integral part of any no-hitter. The tasks of the manager include determining the starting rotation as well as batting order and defensive lineup every game.

No-hitters

#DatePitcherFinal scoreBase-
runners		OpponentCatcherPlate umpireManagerNotesRef
1 3–06@ Detroit Tigers
  • First no-hitter in franchise history
  • First Royals no-hitter on the road
  • First right-handed pitcher to throw a no-hitter in franchise history
  • First no-hitter by a pitcher who did not come to bat the entire game, under the American League's new designated hitter rule
2 3–01@ Milwaukee Brewers
  • Only baserunner was a walk in the second inning.
    • 36–02Texas Rangers
  • First Royals no-hitter at home
    • 47–03Chicago White Sox
  • Most recent no-hitter in franchise history