On July 4, 1983 -- George Steinbrenner's birthday -- Dave Righetti stood on the mound at Yankee Stadium with two outs in the ninth inning, a 4-0 lead, and one hitter standing between him and the first Yankees no-hitter in 27 years. The batter was Wade Boggs, the best contact hitter in the American League, a man who'd won the batting title the previous year and would win it again in 1983. Righetti threw a slider. Boggs swung and missed. The Stadium erupted, and a 24-year-old left-hander had thrown a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox.
The Significance
The last Yankees no-hitter had been Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series. Twenty-seven years between no-hitters for the most successful franchise in baseball history. Every Yankees starter who took the mound between October 8, 1956, and July 4, 1983, had allowed at least one hit. Righetti broke a drought that had lasted longer than most playing careers.
It was also the first no-hitter by a Yankees left-hander since George Mogridge in 1917 -- 66 years earlier. For a franchise built on pitching dominance, the gap was remarkable. Righetti didn't just throw a no-hitter. He ended two of the longest droughts in franchise history simultaneously.
The Game
Righetti walked four batters and struck out nine. He wasn't overpowering in the traditional sense -- his fastball sat in the low 90s -- but his slider was devastating, breaking sharply down and away from right-handed hitters. The Red Sox lineup included Boggs (.361 that year), Jim Rice, Dwight Evans, and Carl Yastrzemski in what would be his final season. This wasn't a bad team. It was a legitimate contender that happened to run into a pitcher who wouldn't allow a hit.
The defense behind Righetti was solid but not spectacular. The closest call came in the seventh inning, when a hard ground ball threatened to sneak through the infield. Otherwise, Righetti controlled the game with his slider and a fastball that moved just enough to keep hitters off-balance.
The Final Out
Boggs came to the plate with two outs in the ninth, and the Stadium was on its feet. Righetti knew exactly who he was facing -- the most dangerous contact hitter in baseball, a man who didn't strike out. Boggs had fanned just 36 times in 582 at-bats the previous season. He made contact the way most people breathed.
Righetti didn't try to nibble. He went after Boggs with sliders, working the outside corner and trying to get him to chase. On a 2-2 count, Righetti snapped a slider that broke sharply. Boggs swung over it. Strike three. No-hitter. The celebration at the mound was immediate and chaotic -- catcher Butch Wynegar raced out to embrace Righetti, and the entire team piled on.
Billy Martin, not a man given to public emotion, said afterward that he'd prayed during the ninth inning. "First time in my life," Martin told reporters. "I prayed."
Righetti's Career Arc
The no-hitter came at a crossroads in Righetti's career. He'd won the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 1981, going 8-4 with a 2.05 ERA. By 1983, he was a 14-game winner with electric stuff and the potential to be a frontline starter for years. The no-hitter seemed to confirm that trajectory.
But the Yankees had other plans. After the 1983 season, Righetti was moved to the bullpen, replacing Goose Gossage as the team's closer. He excelled in the role -- saving 46 games in 1986 -- but the conversion meant the franchise never got the sustained starting career that the no-hitter had seemed to promise.
The Date
July 4 was Steinbrenner's birthday, and the symmetry wasn't lost on anyone. The Boss received a gift he couldn't have bought: a no-hitter against the rival Red Sox, thrown by a homegrown pitcher, on national television, in front of a packed Yankee Stadium crowd celebrating Independence Day. Righetti's performance was the best birthday present in franchise history -- even if Steinbrenner would later repay the gift by moving Righetti out of the rotation.
| Date | July 4, 1983 |
| Score | Yankees 4, Red Sox 0 |
| Strikeouts | 9 |
| Walks | 4 |
| Final Out | Wade Boggs (strikeout, swinging) |
| Previous Yankees No-Hitter | Don Larsen's perfect game, October 8, 1956 |
| Years Between | 27 |
Righetti Wins Rookie of the Year
Righetti goes 8-4 with a 2.05 ERA and wins the AL Rookie of the Year Award, establishing himself as a top young arm.
No-Hitter Takes Shape
Righetti retires the Red Sox in order through the early innings, mixing his slider and fastball effectively against Boston's strong lineup.
Boggs Steps In
With two outs in the ninth and the no-hitter on the line, Wade Boggs -- the AL's best contact hitter -- comes to the plate.
Strike Three
Righetti strikes out Boggs with a slider for the final out. The Stadium erupts. It's the first Yankees no-hitter since Don Larsen in 1956.
Move to Bullpen
The Yankees convert Righetti to a closer, replacing Goose Gossage. He'll save 46 games in 1986 but never start regularly again.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Dave Righetti throw his no-hitter?
Righetti no-hit the Boston Red Sox on July 4, 1983, at Yankee Stadium. The final score was 4-0. He struck out nine batters and walked four.
Who was the last out of Righetti's no-hitter?
Wade Boggs, the American League's best contact hitter, struck out swinging on a Righetti slider for the final out.
Was Righetti's no-hitter the last by a Yankee?
Yes. As of 2026, Righetti's no-hitter on July 4, 1983, remains the most recent no-hitter thrown by a Yankees pitcher.