Shutout Vs No-Hitter: What’s The Difference?

Shutout and no-hitter are two common stats in baseball and they can be quite confusing, and most people would want to know the differences between shutout and no-hitter. Are you one of the many people wanting to know the differences between these two major stats in baseball? We’ve covered all that in this article. Let us know more detail about ‘Shutout Vs No-Hitter: What’s The Difference?’.

Shutout Vs No-Hitter: What’s The Difference?

A shutout in baseball is the total number of runs a pitcher would give up in a single game, while a no-hitter is the total number of hits a pitcher would give up in a game, they’re quite similar but there are major differences, another difference is that a shutout happens when a pitcher throws a complete game but does not allow any runs to occur during the game while no-hitter happens when a pitcher throws a complete game but he does not allow any hits to occur during the game.

What Is a Shutout?: Shutout Vs No-Hitter: What’s The Difference?

A shutout in baseball is a stats that would be given to a pitcher who doesn’t give up any runs in a game. Until the game is complete, a pitcher cannot be given a shutout statistic. Another way a pitcher can earn a shutout is when he enters the game with zero outs before his opponent scores in the first inning.

Also, when two pitchers earn a shutout together, the statistician would make a note in the league’s pitching records.

How to Earn a Shutout Statistic in Baseball?

To earn a shutout in a game of baseball, you need to follow either of these instructions to be eligible: –

• For a pitcher to earn a shutout, he must not allow any runs 
• A pitcher can allow hits, walks, and errors and can earn a shutout
• For a pitcher to earn a shutout, he must throw a complete game.

For a pitcher to earn a shutout, he must not allow any runs

Here, the pitcher must not allow any runs in the game, so if there’s a zero point on the opponents’ scoreboard, then the pitcher is eligible for the shutout statistics, and he can earn it if the scoreboard remains that way till the end of the game.

A pitcher can allow hits, walks, and errors and can earn a shutout

A pitcher can give up hits, walks, and errors during the game and still be eligible for shutout statistics, but he cannot give up runs because the shutout focuses mainly on runs, and so he can fully earn shutout statistics when no runs cross the plate during the entire game.

For a pitcher to earn a shutout, he must throw a complete game

In this one, the pitcher must complete a game or he must be in the game in the first inning and no player from his opponent’s team has made an out.

For a baseball to be a complete game, the pitcher must have pitched at least 9 innings, and if the game goes into extra innings, then the pitcher must pitch all the extra innings and he’d earn the shutout statistics for the game.

What is a No-Hitter?

This happens when the pitcher pitch for an entire game without allowing any baseball hits during the game, a standard baseball game consists of a minimum of 9 innings. A batter can reach a hit by pitch, an error, or a catcher’s interference in a no-hitter game.

How to Earn No-Hitter Statistics in Baseball? 

Earning a no-hitter stat in baseball is quite similar to earning a shutout stat in baseball. The main difference between these two stats is that one focuses on hits while the other focuses on runs. These are three major ways you can earn a no-hitter stat in baseball:

• A pitcher should throw a complete game to be considered for a no-hitter stat.
• A pitcher must not give up any hits to be eligible for a no-hitter stat.
• Pitchers can allow walks, errors, and runs but can earn no-hitter stats.

A pitcher should throw a complete game to be considered for a no-hitter stat

Pitchers should pitch for the whole game time and a pitcher must throw nine innings to earn a no-hitter, also if the game goes into extra innings, then the pitcher must pitch those extra innings to be considered.

Also, if a pitcher throws for the entire time of the 7-inning game, then he would not be eligible for the no-hitter stats, so instead of throwing, the pitcher must pitch for the entire game to earn the no-hitter stats.

A pitcher must not give up any hits to be eligible for a no-hitter stat

At the end of the game, no hits must occur during the entire game for a pitcher to be eligible for a no-hitter stat. So if the opponents’ scoreboard has a zero point for the number of hits, then at the end of the game, that pitcher earns a no-hitter stat.

Pitchers can allow walks, errors, and runs and still earn no-hitter stats

Because this stat focuses mainly on the number of hits, the opponents can have walks, errors, and even runs, but as long as they do not have a base hit at the end of the game, the pitcher earns a no-hitter stat.

Major Difference Between Shutout and No-Hitter

The major difference between these two stats is that a shutout focuses on the number of runs in the entire game time, while a no-hitter focuses on the number of hits in the entire game time.

Conclusion

Now We’ve learnt about ‘Shutout Vs No-Hitter: What’s The Difference?’, The different ways that baseball statistics can be calculated are quite confusing, including the shutout stats and the no-hitter stats. However, the major difference is that shutout stats have to do with runs while no-hitter stats have to do with hits.

Once you understand how these stats can be calculated, it gets better. However, both shutout and no-hitter results are great in a great game, and pitchers would love to earn them.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is it possible to earn both shutout stats and no-hitter stats in a single game?

Ans:- Yes, pitchers can avoid hits and runs in a single game thereby earning both stats in that game.

• Can I still lose a no-hitter game?

Ans:- Though it is very rare but it’s possible to still loose a game after earning a no hitter stats