They were talking in the first inning of Wednesday night’s game, veteran Randy Wolf and rookie Daniel Norris, when Norris stopped the conversation.
The Detroit Tigers left-hander had just seen Justin Verlander blow a 94 m.p.h. fastball past Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout and needed to say something.
“I looked at him and said, ‘Stop,’” Norris said. “He’s going to throw a no-hitter.” Wolf’s response? “Shut up.”
“No, really,” Norris said, and so went the bold prediction that nearly came to fruition when Verlander took a no-hit bid into the ninth inning, only to lose it on a lead-off double by Chris Iannetta on the chalk.