White Sox no-hitter history

As a charter member of the American League, the White Sox have had ample opportunity to throw no-hitters. And ample no-hitters they’ve thrown.

From Nixey Callahan to Carlos Rodón, White Sox pitchers have twirled 20 no-hitters in franchise history, the most by any AL team. Only the Dodgers have more with 23, per the Elias Sports Bureau.

That includes the three White Sox perfect games, more than any team in MLB except the Yankees, who also have three. The Phillies, Athletics and Indians are the only other teams with multiple perfect games.

Here is a summary of the 20 White Sox no-hitters.

April 14, 2021: Carlos Rodón
White Sox 8, Indians 0

Rodón entered professional baseball with huge expectations. A collegiate star at North Carolina State, he was drafted third overall by the White Sox in 2014 and made it to the Majors less than a year later, in April 2015. But while he tasted some success early in his career, Rodón battled injuries and inconsistency. The White Sox non-tendered him after the 2020 season but then re-signed him to a one-year deal. Rodón, looking to make the most of a second chance, threw five scoreless innings and struck out nine in his 2021 debut. That set him up to make history, as the 28-year-old lefty went 25 up and 25 down against Cleveland before a hit-by-pitch ended his bid for a perfect game with one out in the ninth. Still, Rodón recovered to get the final two outs and finish off his dominant performance.

Aug. 25, 2020: Lucas Giolito
White Sox 4, Pirates 0

Giolito was once baseball's top pitching prospect as a member of the Nationals' organization, and he went through his growing pains, posting the worst ERA (6.13) of any qualified starter in 2018. But after rounding into form in a breakout campaign with the White Sox in '19, Giolito authored a career moment in an empty Guaranteed Rate Field (due to the coronavirus pandemic) as he racked up 13 strikeouts and walked just one Pirates hitter in a 101-pitch effort.

April 21, 2012: Philip Humber
White Sox 4, Mariners 0 (perfect game)

A former top prospect with the Mets, Humber never quite lived up to the hype of being the No. 3 overall Draft pick in 2004. But almost eight years later, he achieved greatness, throwing the third perfect game in White Sox history and 21st overall in MLB. Additionally, Humber accomplished the feat with just 96 pitches, the first perfecto to be under 100 pitches since David Cone’s in 1999.

July 23, 2009: Mark Buehrle
White Sox 5, Rays 0 (perfect game)

The veteran lefty one-upped his no-hitter from two years earlier by throwing the 18th perfect game in MLB history. Buehrle’s perfecto was saved by a memorable ninth-inning catch from Dewayne Wise on the warning track, and memorialized by Hawk Harrelson’s famous “ALEXEI!” game-ending call.

April 18, 2007: Mark Buehrle
White Sox 6, Rangers 0

Buehrle’s no-hitter was the first at the new Comiskey Park/U.S. Cellular Field. He nearly threw a perfect game, allowing just one walk while striking out eight, but made up for that with his performance two years later.

Aug. 11, 1991: Wilson Alvarez
White Sox 7, Orioles 0

Alvarez burst onto the Major League scene with his no-hitter, tossing it in just his second career start. He is one of just 22 pitchers since 1901 to throw a no-no during his rookie season. Alvarez entered that game against Baltimore with an ERA of infinity, having faced five batters and allowing two home runs without recording an out.

Sept. 19, 1986: Joe Cowley
White Sox 7, Angels 1

Cowley threw his no-hitter as the 1986 season came to a close, and then did not win another game that season. After four more winless starts in 1987 for the Phillies, Cowley was released and never pitched another game. He is the only pitcher in MLB history to never win a game after throwing a no-hitter. He walked seven in his no-hitter, including three straight in the sixth inning, when the Angels scored on Reggie Jackson's sacrifice fly.

July 28, 1976: Combined -- Blue Moon Odom and Francisco Barrios
White Sox 2, Athletics 1

Odom and Barrios tag-teamed the only combined no-hitter in White Sox history, with Odom giving way to Barrios after walking the leadoff batter in the sixth inning. The 12 baserunners (11 walks and a fielder's choice) mark the most allowed in a White Sox no-hitter. The A's scored on an error in the fourth inning.

Sept. 10, 1967: Joel Horlen
White Sox 6, Tigers 0

Aside from his no-hitter, Horlen’s debut represented an odd trivia quirk -- he once came out of the bullpen wearing a numberless uniform, as it was the only one available. Horlen twirled his no-hitter in the middle of the four-way 1967 pennant race that saw the “Hitless Wonders” finish with an MLB-best team ERA at 2.45, but a lowly .225 team batting average.

Aug. 20, 1957: Bob Keegan
White Sox 6, Senators 0

The White Sox needed to wait 20 years before Keegan threw his no-hitter vs. Washington, the longest interval between no-nos in team history. Keegan’s career was relatively short; he debuted at 31 and played just six seasons. He is the oldest White Sox pitcher to throw a no-hitter at 37 years and 16 days.

June 1, 1937: Bill Dietrich
White Sox 8, Browns 0

No no-hitters were thrown in MLB between Vern Kennedy’s 1935 no-hitter and Dietrich’s. Dietrich walked just two St. Louis batters in his gem, tying a franchise-record low for baserunners during a no-hitter (not including Charlie Robertson’s perfect game).

Aug. 31, 1935: Vern Kennedy
White Sox 5, Indians 0

After averaging a no-hitter once every three seasons or so, the White Sox waited a relatively lengthy nine years between their eighth and ninth no-hitters. Kennedy shut down the Indians in his rookie season, and went on to make the first of his two All-Star appearances the next year.

Aug. 21, 1926: Ted Lyons
White Sox 6, Red Sox 0

A Hall of Famer, Lyons garnered AL MVP votes in 1925 and 1927, finishing third in the latter season. (The Cy Young Award was first handed out in 1956.) But it was his 26th start in 1926 that lives on in baseball lore. Lyons walked the first Red Sox batter he faced, and then retired 27 of the next 28 hitters, with one reaching on an error.

April 30, 1922: Charlie Robertson
White Sox 2, Tigers 0 (perfect game)

The 1922 White Sox season was a picturesque example of average. They finished 77-77 in the American League, and gave up as many runs as they scored (691). But on April 30, Robertson was more than average -- he was perfect. Robertson went 27 up, 27 down against Tigers batters that afternoon, throwing the White Sox first perfect game and fifth overall in MLB history.

April 14, 1917: Eddie Cicotte
White Sox 11, Browns 0

Cicotte turned in his best year in the White Sox 1917 championship season, leading the American League with 28 wins, 346 2/3 innings and a 1.53 ERA. He kicked off that year with a no-hitter, shutting down the Browns in his first start of the season.

May 31, 1914: Joe Benz
White Sox 6, Naps 1

Allowing a run in a no-hitter was much more common before the Live Ball Era (since 1920). Prior to 1920, 14 such no-hitters were thrown, but since then there have been just nine. Benz’s no-no was the first of three White Sox no-hitters where an opponent scored. Cleveland scored thanks to two White Sox errors in the fourth inning.

Aug. 27, 1911: Ed Walsh
White Sox 5, Red Sox 0

Legend has it that Hall of Famer Walsh helped design old Comiskey Park, recommending dimensions that favored pitchers over hitters. Regardless of the story’s authenticity, Walsh made the park his own when he tossed the first no-hitter in Comiskey Park history.

Sept. 20, 1908: Frank Smith
White Sox 1, Athletics 0

The “Piano Mover” made his mark as part of the White Sox dominant pitching staff in the early 1900s, utilizing a spitball that moved like a knuckleball. He nearly needed to pitch a 10th inning, but the White Sox walked it off in the ninth in a rather unusual fashion — White Sox shortstop Freddy Parent tapped an intentional walk pitch to the right side of the infield just slowly enough to let Frank Isbell score. Smith became the first White Sox pitcher to throw multiple no-hitters with his gem against Philadelphia.

Sept. 6, 1905: Frank Smith
White Sox 15, Tigers 0

Though he struggled in the White Sox first championship season in 1906, Smith pitched to a 19-13 record and 2.13 ERA in 1905, capping off his season with a September no-hitter. His no-no remained the most lopsided no-hitter in the Modern Era (since 1900) until Jake Arrieta no-hit the Reds in 2016 (16-0).

Sept. 20, 1902: Nixey Callahan
White Sox 3, Tigers 0

Nixey Callahan did it all. Hitting, pitching, managing — you name it. He even umpired an AL game in the 1901 season. But his most impressive accomplishment remains his 1902 no-hitter, the the first no-no in American League history, when he blanked the visiting Tigers. Though he struggled with effectiveness that season, he cemented himself in White Sox and baseball lore.