In 2010 Roy Halladay joined an exclusive group of pitchers who’ve thrown multiple no-hitters in one season. His first gem was a perfect game; his second came in the postseason.
On May 29 of 2010, Halladay authored the 20th perfecto in big league history. His league-leading 21 wins, 4 shutouts, and 8.5 WAR helped his team to 97 wins and the Eastern Division championship. By season’s end, Halladay had the second of his Cy Young Awards.
In Halladay’s first career postseason start, he no-hit the Cincinnati Reds in the 2010 NLDS. Halladay joined Don Larsen as the only men with no-nos in the playoffs. Larsen threw a perfect game during Game 5 of the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The first three hurlers to author two gems in one season were Johnny Vander Meer, Allie Reynolds, and Virgil Trucks. Vandy did it in 1938; Reynolds and Trucks in ’51 and ’52, respectively.
Shown here is a photo of the first three men to toss two no-hitters in one season. It is autographed by Reynolds, Vander Meer, and Trucks.
In addition to Halladay and the three men in the photo, Nolan Ryan and Max Scherzer have accomplished the feat. Ryan tossed the first two of his MLB-record seven no-hitters in 1973. In each of Scherzer’s 2015 gems he faced one over the minimum. His second featured 17 Ks, tied with Ryan for the most in a no-hit game.