MLB has just released its Top 10 Plays of 2023, and Philadelphia Phillies fans are surely going to enjoy what comes in at number nine. Michael Lorenzen's unforgettable no-hitter in his home debut was one of the great stories of the 2023 season. Acquired at the Aug. 1 trade deadline to bolster the starting rotation, Lorenzen's 124 pitch performance was a more than worthy addition to this list.
Michael Lorenzen’s no-hitter in his @Phillies home debut is the No. 9 play of 2023. 😤 pic.twitter.com/kZvMI0LRAK
— MLB (@MLB) December 4, 2023
In a Phillies season full of outstanding and electric moments, it's easy to forget about the pure emotion of Michael Lorenzen's Aug. 10 five-strikeout, four-walk performance. The final score of 7-0 over a lowly Washington Nationals ball club might not strike future generations who read the final box score as remarkable, but those in attendance and watching on TV were treated to some of the best narrative drama a baseball game can provide.
Re-watching the ninth inning nearly four months later still provides goosebumps as Lorenzen stepped to the mound on his quest toward making history. With his family in the stands and visibly caught up in the moment, NBC Sports Philadelphia zeroed in on a captivating narrative arc, switching between Lorenzen on the field and a Phillies crowd that was hellbent on keeping the environment uncomfortably loud.
Lorenzen's comments after the game spoke to how special it was to be able to play in a town that cares about the game of baseball.
“Walking out for the seventh, eighth and ninth, man, these fans. I’ve never been part of an organization where fans are a part of the team," Lorenzen said. "And they gave me that boost that I needed. ... If you are feeling fatigued, you don’t feel it at all in front of these fans.”
Often overshadowed by Trea Turner's mid-season turnaround after the standing ovation heard around the world, Michael Lorenzen's no-hitter was one of the great moments of the 2023 season and will be remembered by Phillies fans forever.
To check out the rest of the list, go to MLB Top Plays of 2023 and start counting the days until spring training.