Kenta Maeda
The umpire is also an integral part of any no-hitter. The task of the umpire in a baseball game is to make any decision "which involves judgment, such as, but not limited to, whether a batted ball is fair or foul, whether a pitch is a strike or a ball, or whether a runner is safe or out… [the umpire's judgment on such matters] is final." Part of the duties of the umpire making calls at home plate includes defining the strike zone, which "is defined as that area over homeplate "(sic)" the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the hollow beneath the kneecap." These calls define every baseball game and are therefore integral to the completion of any no-hitter. A different umpire presided over each of the franchise's seven no-hitters. The Twins almost had another no-hitter on August 18th, 2020 when the Twins Start pitcher Kenta Maeda Threw 8 Innings without any hits allowed. Maeda's no-hitter was broken in Top of the 9th when the Brewers 3rd Basemen Eric Sogard softly hit a ball into center field for a base hit. That would be the closest time the Twins had a no-hitter since May 3rd, 2011 When, Francisco Liriano No-Hit the Chicago White Sox.