Alabama Alum Spencer Turnbull Fires No Hitter for Detroit

Detroit Tigers right handed pitcher Spencer Turnbull became the first former Alabama baseball player to throw a no-hitter in Major League Baseball. Turnbull held the Seattle Mariners hitless last night, issuing two walks and striking out nine.

Turnbull pitched for the Tide from 2012-2014 before becoming a second round pick of Detroit in the June, 2014 draft. The 28-year old improved to 3-2 on the season and lowered his ERA to 2.88. In his career, Turnbull has 10 wins against 25 losses and a 4.33 ERA, with 243 strikeouts in 255 innings pitched.

The big red head, known as Red Bull, made his Major League debut in 2018 appearing in four games after a late season call up. He began to find his footing in the league in 2019 becoming a full time starter, taking the hill 30 times. Despite a 3-17 record that year, his star was on the rise, pitching much better than his win-loss tally indicated for a very poor Tigers team. In the pandemic shortened 2020 season, Turnbull improved to 4-4 with a 3.97 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 56 innings an a WHIP of 1.34.

Turnbull was born in Demopolis, Alabama on September 18, 1992 and grew up in Madison, Mississippi before matriculating at the University. As a part time starter as a freshman, Turnbull finished 2-6 with a 5.60 ERA in 53 innings. The big righty pitched 90 innings as a sophomore and finished 4-3 with a 3.70 ERA, and in his final Alabama season finished 5-7 with an incredible 2.22 ERA in 93 innings pitched, allowing only 61 hits in 93 innings.

Roll Tide! Roll, Red Bull, Roll!