Cleveland Indians: Adam Plutko throws no-hitter in Triple-A tuneup

During his Triple-A tuneup, Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Adam Plutko threw a no-hitter with the Columbus Clippers.

Earlier this week, Adam Plutko was optioned back to Triple-A Columbus. The move was made in large part because of the two off days the Cleveland Indians will have in the coming week. The Indians wouldn’t need a fifth starting pitcher for two weeks and the Indians sent Plutko down to get a Triple-A start and keep sharp, and boy did he ever. In his start last night for the Columbus Clippers, Plutko threw a no-hitter against the Syracuse Chiefs.

Adam Plutko finishes off the no-no!!!!!

He walks one and strikes out eight to give the Clippers a 6-0 victory!#ClipShow pic.twitter.com/uX2J36JNac
— Columbus Clippers (@CLBClippers) June 3, 2018

Plutko not only threw a no-hitter but nearly a perfect game. He carried the perfect game into the 9th inning before a one-out walk spoiled history, and perhaps stolen from him.

Congrats to Adam Plutko on his no-hitter. Should have been a Perfect Game tho. "Ball 4" right down middle of the plate.#RallyTogether @CLBClippers
@Indians pic.twitter.com/PpJFVe3XOe
— Matt Bretz (@MattB_WOF) June 3, 2018

Regardless, Plutko dominated the Chiefs last night, striking out eight with just the one “walk”. He threw 80 of his 112 pitches for strikes. It was the second no-hitter thrown by a Clippers’ pitcher in the last ten days after Shane Bieber threw a rain-shortened no-hitter on May 25th.

Pressure on Plutko?

Plutko may have felt some extra pressure after the Indians gave Bieber, one of their top pitching prospects, a spot start this past week. One might think Bieber has a shot at passing up Plutko and stealing the fifth rotation spot in Cleveland. However, the plan always seemed to be to give Plutko the spot back once the big league club needed a fifth starter again and after a start like last night, it’s hard to argue against the Indians returning to Plutko. He is now 5-3 with the Clippers with a 1.87 ERA and minuscule 0.70 WHIP.

Plutko stands to rejoin the Indians by June 12th, the next time a fifth starting pitcher is needed. Plutko could be making one more start for the Clippers on June 7th, which would be on normal rest for him and put him on normal rest for the Tribe game on the 12th.

Next: What to expect of Shane Bieber

Plutko would be making his fourth big league start on the 12th, he’s currently a perfect 3-0 with a 3.93 ERA with the big league club this year.

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