Baseball

Detmers, Verlander, Gilbert: No-Hitters Help or Do Nothing for Card Prices?

There were almost two no-hitters on the same day in Major League Baseball. This is an incredible feat, even if it is an almost-status. And we know that modern era sports card investors, or where some collectors use day trading goals for a quick profit, will chase just about any fad or hot statistic. These short-term views can cause serious swings in modern-era card prices. There is a problem in chasing pitcher cards around no-hitters (or even perfect games!) — they may simply have little or no effect on a pitcher’s top card prices over time!

First, let’s look what happened. A youngster named Reid Detmers for the Los Angeles Angels threw a no-hitter on Tuesday. And on the same night the Houston Astros almost got to see a no-hitter thrown by future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander. This is great for MLB news. Whether or not this is great for modern-era card chasers is another thing entirely.

Verlander rookie cards were already valuable and another no-hitter would have just been icing on the cake for collectors. Reid Detmers has a whole career to prove himself, and we all know that anything can happen (for better or for worse) when it comes to betting on the future of young athletes and their baseball cards.

Justin Verlander proved at the age of 39 that he is still one of the greatest pitchers currently still pitching. He took a no-hitter against for the Astros against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night into the eighth inning. That no-hitter ended when Gio Urshela slapped a single to right field with one out. In the case of Verlander, he already has 3 career no-hitters and is only 1 of 6 pitchers with 3 career no-hitters. Here are the others:

  • Bob Feller (3),
  • Cy Young (3),
  • Larry Corcoran (3),
  • Sandy Koufax (4),
  • and Nolan Ryan (7).

As for Verlander’s top all-time card sales, we looked at auction house sales results. PWCC sold a 2005 Bowman Chrome Gold Refractor Auto /50 BGS 9.5 for $9,007.00 on May 19, 2021. A similar card sold for $7,380.00 in the Goldin Elite Auction closing Jan. 31, 2021. Heritage’s top card price sale for Verlander was also the same sort of card for $1,440.00 back on May 7, 2020. The highest recent eBay sales (90 days back) was a 2005 Bowman Chrome First Year Gold Refractor RC Auto Justin Verlander 26/50 BGS for $2,938.00 after 31 bids (plus $35 shipping).

Reid Detmers now has just 11 starts with the Los Angeles Angels and his no-hitter in a 12-0 blowout over the Tampa Bay Rays at home in Anaheim sure sounds amazing. This kid is just 22 years old and was the first “solo no-hitter” for the 2022 MLB season. Now let’s look at the large scale picture — in 5 starts in 2021, Detmers was credited with 1 win versus 3 losses and he had a 7.40 earned run average (ERA) in just 20.2 innings pitched. He did rake up 20 strikeouts in those 2021 appearances, but he gave up 26 hits, gave up 5 home runs and walked 11 batters.

After we zoom into Detmers for 2022, a full game and a zero hit and zero run makes his 2022 start look much better. Detmers is now at 2 wins and 1 loss after 6 games started and in 31.0 innings pitched. He has now given up just 18 hits, 3 homers and has walked only 8 batters.

On April 24, 2022 a Heritage Auction of a 2020 Bowman’s Best Reid Detmers (Best of ’20 Autograph – Gold Refractor) #B20-RDE SGC Gem Mint 10, Auto 10 – Serial Numbered 31/50 sold for $117.00 after the buyers premium. The image below, the only one for this article, is by Heritage Auctions.

Reid Detmers rookie auto card

eBay shows many listings for new Reid Detmers rookie cards, many with “No hitter!” designations in new listings and many that are still with relatively low “Buy It Now” prices:

  • Topps 2022 Series 1 Reid Detmers rookie card #201
  • 2022 Topps Series 1 Reid Detmers Chrome Blue Mojo RC Rookie #/150
  • 2022 Topps Series 1 Royal Blue REID DETMERS Rookie Card #201 LA Angels
  • 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Reid Detmers Los Angeles Angels RC Card #24
  • 2022 Topps Heritage Reid Detmers RC ROOKIE #24 Hot Box Chrome Purple Refractor
  • 2022 Topps Heritage Reid Detmers Exclusive Blue Sparkle Chrome #24
  • 2022 Topps Heritage Reid Detmers RC Chrome Refractor #24 /673
  • 2022 Bowman ROY Favorites #ROYF-14 Reid Detmers Angels
  • 2022 Bowman Chrome Reid Detmers Refractor RC Auto /499 Angels (No Hitter)
  • 2022 Topps Chrome Reid Detmers RC 1987 Gold Mojo
  • 2022 Topps Inception REID DETMERS Rookie Autograph 080/299 SP Angels
  • 2022 Topps Reid Detmers 1987 version blue auto Rookie Autograph On Card (Invest) not graded
  • 2022 Topps Inception Reid Detmers RC /75 Rookie /75 Color Match (No Hitter)
  • 2022 Topps Inception Reid Detmers Magenta Parallel /99
  • 2022 Topps Series 1 201 Reid Detmers Gold 363/2022 Angels RC (No Hitter)

eBay also showed that the highest single card price in the last 90 days was not even last night nor today. eBay shows that a sale on Sold May 1, 2022 of a 2022 Topps Inception Reid Detmers RPA Button Patch # 4/6 SSSP sold for $500.00 after 1 bid (plus $4.50 shipping). and a $499.00 (or Best Offer) sale took place on May 2, 2022 for a 2022 Topps Heritage Gold Refractor Reid Detmers 1/5 Angels.

More recently, on May 10, 2022 at 2:25 a.m. a 2022 Series 1 Reid Detmers RC ON CARD AUTO RED 04/25 sold for $400.00 (plus$4.99 shipping). And as of 11:15 a.m. Eastern Time there has not been a TOPPS NOW card issued, but it’s a good bet one is coming.

What about the 2021 phenomenal debut for Tyler Gilbert for the Arizona Diamondbacks. The now 28-year old left-hander became just the fourth pitcher in major league history to throw a no-hitter in his first start in the big league. Gilbert finished 2021 with a 2 win and 2 loss record after 6 starts. In 40.0 innings pitched he managed 25 strikeouts, and he gave up 28 hits, 17 runs and 4 homers. He also walked 13 batters. Tyler Gilbert’s 2022 start is slow with 2 games and only 1 start with a 0 win and 1 loss record. In just 8.2 innings so far, he has given up 5 hits, 1 homer and has seen 1 walk. And so far in 2022, the Diamondbacks already optioned him back to the Triple-A Reno team at the end of April. The local THIS IS RENO reported on May 10, 2022: Game four saw Aces starter Tyler Gilbert get shelled for six earned runs in less than an inning of work…

eBay has many sold listings for Tyler Gilbert, and here are the top “Sold Listings” that we have seen in the last 90 days but these are pre-minors return:

  • Apr 7, 2022 — Tyler Gilbert 2022 Topps Inception Black Auto Autograph Rookie #1/1 Arizona A31 for $152.50 after 15 bids.
  • Apr 16, 2022 — 2022 Inception Silver Signings Autographs, Gold ink Tyler Gilbert #/25 sold for $120.00 after just 1 bid.
  • Apr 8, 2022 — Tyler Gilbert 2022 Topps Inception Signed On-Card Auto RC Red 17/50 Diamondbacks sold for $100.00 after 6 bids.

And on May 7, 2022 there were two different sales of the Tyler Gilbert 2021 MLB TOPPS NOW Card 661 Call-UP RC ROOKIE NO HITTER 1st Start that sold — one listed as $20.00 (or Best Offer) with free shipping and one with a $8.90 (or Best Offer) plus $5.00 shipping. Again, he was back in the minors.

Here is what we know about no-hitters so far for 2022 and the potentiality of card price moves. Just Verlander is already going to the Hall of Fame and a fourth no-hitter would have been wonderful to see but would just be icing on the cake. Collectors who wanted to buy Justin Verlander cards already own or plan to own his cards. Tyler Gilbert is already back in the minors, and that report didn’t sound great for Tyler Gilbert. And if you go back to the list of 3 no-hitters above you will ask who Larry Corcoran was — and SABR’s bio has a full story from the 1800s when he pitched but you may never (or almost never) see one of his few cards come up for auction.

As for the future of Reid Detmers’ rookie cards, we just have to wait and see how the rest of his year and how the rest of his career turns out. Prior to this game, his longest game was six innings. And on the plus side, at least Detmers is on the Angels with a great team and players like Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout to keep bringing attention to the team.