No-hitters don’t matter as much as they used to. This makes the common narrative around Daniel Poncedeleon’s seven-no-hit-inning debut particularly difficult to avoid.
The percent of at-bats with a ball in play has fallen stupendously since the early 1900s. Pitchers are better, there are more whiffs and more home runs. You get the idea. I’ll cite ESPN guru Buster Olney to provide some credibility to the matter.
From @SlangsOnSports: After James Paxton's no-hitter last night, fhe Nationals' Jeremy Hellickson generated the 20th no-hit bid of at least six innings this season.