Daily Red Sox Links: What did the Red Sox look like last time they were no-hit?

No-hitters are fun to watch except when the team you root for is doing the not hitting. That’s where the Boston Red Sox and their fans found themselves on Saturday when Sean Manaea unleashed an absolute gem on a team that has been as offensively dominant as any in baseball. As many sources have noted since then, that was the first time the Red Sox have been no-hit since 1993. That’s 25 years between no-hitter victimhood. As I saw that bit of trivia, it got me wondering what the team looked like during that previous no-hitter.

*insert time travel animation*

The date was April 22, 1993. The Red Sox were off to an 11-4 start to the season and finishing a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners. After winning the opener on April 20 (blaze it, bro) behind 6 ¹⁄₃ strong innings from Roger Clemens and home runs from John Valentin and Mike Greenwell, the Sox had been shutout 5-0 by Randy Johnson the following day. However, at least they had four hits in that game.

In the series finale, 30-year-old right-hander Chris Bosio stepped to the mound for Seattle, coming off a disastrous outing against Detroit when he allowed six runs on 10 hits in six innings. However, he did strike out 12 batters in that game. He would only strike out four against the Red Sox on the fateful day we are discussing. That year’s Mariners also had Ken Griffey Jr. in his first 40-home run season and Omar Vizquel in his first Gold Glove campaign.

The Red Sox countered with Joe Hesketh, a 34-year-old lefty who would go on to post a 5.06 ERA in 1993 and be out of the majors after the shortened 1994 season.

Ernie Riles led off for the Red Sox and started at second base. He went 0-for-3 with a walk. This was Riles’ last season in the majors. He would slash .189/.292/.350 in 170 plate appearances. Scott Fletcher was the normal starting second baseman and led the team in stolen bases (16) while batting .285.

Carlos Quintana followed Riles and played right field that day. He went 0-for-2 with a walk. Quintana got off the blistering start for the Sox in 1993, as he entered this game batting .432. However, he only managed to bat .244 in the entirety of the season as he continued to deal with the after effects of a car accident. He would be out of the majors after 1993.

Left fielder Greenwell was batting in the three-hole in this game and he went to the plate three times and got out three times. Greenwell was a few year removed from back-to-back All-Star appearances, but still had a fine season at the dish, posting a 125 OPS+ while hitting 13 home runs. He also tied for the second-best bWAR total of his career (3.6).

In the cleanup spot was Andre Dawson, a now Hall of Fame outfielder who was in the twilight of a storied career. The former Expo got 498 plate appearances with the Red Sox in 1993 and he hit 13 home runs and batted .273. However, for the first time since he had the proverbial cup of coffee in 1976 before winning Rookie of the Year in 1977, he posted an OPS+ below 100. Dawson was the DH and went 0-for-3 in this game and struck out once.

At first base and batting fifth was budding star Mo Vaughn. During his age-25 season, Vaughn reached 100 RBI for the first of six times in his career and slashed .297/.390/.525 while producing an OPS+ of 139, his first time above 100. However, he went 0-for-3 with a strikeout on this day.

Ivan Calderon followed Vaughn and played center field. Calderon would be released by the Red Sox later that season and then signed by the White Sox. Calderon was patrolling center in place of Billy Hatcher, who batted .287 in 1993 but only played a season and a half with Boston.

The next spot in the order was manned by third baseman Scott Cooper. Cooper was the replacement at third for Wade Boggs, who was now with the New York Yankees. Cooper was batting .333/.375/.433 even after this game and was on his way to his first of two All-Star appearances. But he only played three more season in the majors.

Valentin, who would be a mainstay in the lineup throughout the 90s, batted eighth and played shortstop. In 1993 he slashed .278/.346/.447 and reached 40 doubles for the first of three times in his career. However, he did not have any sort of hit here.

Finally, batting ninth was catcher Tony Pena, who was in his age-36 season and last with the Red Sox. Pena only hit .181 in 1993, but he went on to play three seasons with Cleveland and then one more split between the White Sox and Astros in 1997.

Ultimately, the 1993 Red Sox, who were in their second season under manager Butch Hobson, finished 80-82 and in fifth place in the American League East. The 2018 Red Sox seem much less likely to mirror that 1993 squad in that regard.

After their first “losing streak” of the season, the Red Sox have to bounce back. (Jason Mastrodonato; Boston Herald)

Hanley Ramirez and the rest of the Red Sox needed a bit of time off after a tough weekend. How about some playoff hockey? (Adam London; NESN)

Red Sox fans really want to know about Blake Swihart’s present and future. (Ian Browne; MLB.com)

Alex Cora is managing for more than just wins in April. (Peter Abraham; Boston Globe)

Craig Kimbrel has still been good this season but his velocity is slipping. (Jeff Zimmerman; RotoGraphs)