Dylan Cease threw the second no-hitter in San Diego Padres history Thursday afternoon, blanking the Washington Nationals 3-0 in a masterful 114-pitch performance.

Cease, who came within one out of a no-hitter two years ago, said that he was frightened when Nationals star C.J. Abrams hit a hard line drive with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. The ball was instead caught by right fielder Bryce Johnson, ending the complete-game gem on a triumphant note.

“Think I had a little flashback right there: Make sure I get the slider a little bit lower,” Cease said. “Man off the bat right there, it looked kind of like a bloop hit. I saw it stay up. Just screaming and yelling. That was awesome.”

In nine innings, Cease struck out nine batters and walked three for the franchise’s second no-hitter. Cease’s teammate, Joe Musgrove, earned the first in 2021. After nine hitless innings, his ERA fell to 3.76 and he improved to 9-8 on the season.

The Padres have had an erratic year thus far, struggling through injuries and several dry patches, but they remain a playoff contender with a 55-50 record. Moments like these are sure to keep the team going as the season progresses.

Meanwhile, without diminishing Cease’s historic accomplishment, the 47-56 Nationals have struggled for most of the year and are slowly descending through the ranks of the National League. Though the team has a few exciting players, namely Abrams and debuting rookie James Wood, Washington has been overmatched by pitchers like Cease more often than not in 2024.

Occasionally, iron-man no-hitter performances can wear out pitchers later in the season, and Cease’s career-high 114-pitch performance could have a similar effect. If he continues to impress, however, the 28-year-old right-hander’s outside case as an N.L. Cy Young candidate could gain far more traction.

The Milwaukee Brewers made a somewhat unexpected move Monday, trading premier closer Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres. In exchange, the Brewers received left-handed closer Taylor Rogers, right-handed pitcher Dinelson Lamet, rookie utility player Esteury Ruiz and pitching prospect Robert Gasser.

Because the Brewers are in first place in the NL Central division, one wouldn’t immediately identify them as a team looking to sell established talent. The motivation for both sides of the trade are clear, however, in light of Hader’s recent struggles. Entering the month of July, the top closer had a 1.08 ERA that has since ballooned to 4.24 after several poor outings.

By acquiring Hader, the Padres are expressing confidence in his ability to regain his usual level of dominance. If they’re right, then they acquired an extremely effective bullpen arm for a handful of average players without giving away too much to rule out a trade for Nationals outfielder Juan Soto. Shortly after the Hader trade was announced, the Padres also announced that they were extending starting pitcher Joe Musgrove’s contract through 2027 for $100 million.

Meanwhile, the Brewers unloaded Hader at one of the lowest points in his career and will hope that Rogers can produce at a similar level in save opportunities. If they’re right about Rogers, then they gained a pair of supporting characters to bolster an already talented team, as well as a low-level pitching prospect. They’re giving away the more enticing part of the trade for a less volatile group.

At this point in the season, both the Brewers and the Padres are very likely playoff contenders, though the Padres seem to have a slight edge. With the trade deadline approaching fast, San Diego is still in line to acquire talents like Soto or Josh Bell, players that could make the difference when the postseason approaches.