As if he need one, Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke came up with yet another reason why he will be baseball’s highest paid pitcher this coming off season.

Greinke, who is having the best season of his major league career – including his 2009 AL Cy Young award-winning season, was a Don Mattingly/Tim Wallach defensive shift away from not only throwing a no-hitter on Thursday night against the last-place Philadelphia Phillies, but from throwing what could have been baseball’s 24th perfect game.

The drama unfolded in the top of the second inning when Phillies slugger Ryan Howard, against whom the Dodgers infield had positioned itself into a defensive shift with only shortstop Jimmy Rollins on the left side of second base, promptly lined into the spot where third baseman Alberto Callaspo would have been with a traditional defense. Although many say that Howard’s liner probably would have gone over Callaspo’s head anyway (including Zack Greinke), that will be a question that will remain unanswered for all of eternity. Howard would be the only base runner that the 31-year-old Orlando, Florida native would allow all night before retiring the next 21 consecutive batters he faced – eight by strikeout.

Aside from Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, Greinke retired all 24 batters he faced on Thursday night and heads into the All-Star break with a MLB-leading 1.39 ERA. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

“He’s almost been perfect,” said Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal after the game. “Just the way he’s been throwing, he’s been pinpoint. You can’t really ask for more. For me, it’s like playing a video game. Do I want to go curveball here or changeup? Do I want to pitch backward or go right at them?”

On Monday it was announced that Greinke had been voted into the 2015 All-Star Game via the players’ vote, along with Grandal, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and rookie center fielder Joc Pederson. And while Greinke will head into Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic with the best ERA in all of baseball (1.39) and the best since 1968 behind only Bob Gibson (1.06), Luis Tiant (1.24) and Don Drysdale (1.37), there is still a question whether or not National League manager Bruce Bochy will start Greinke over his own Madison Bumgarner and his 3.34 ERA.

While nearly everyone – stay for Giants fans – have been rather outspoken that Greinke should get the start, many believe that Bochy will do exactly what Cardinals manager Mike Matheny did at last year’s All-Star Game when he started his own guy – Adam Wainwright – over the far superior Clayton Kershaw. Wainwright, as you may recall, admitted to the media after his appearance that he had “piped” a couple of fastballs to retiring future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter – something that Kershaw never would have done in a game that determines home field advantage for the World Series.

By now every Dodger fan is aware that Greinke has an opt-out clause in his six-year / $147 million contract at the end of this season and there is absolutely zero doubt that he will exercise that option. Simply put, Greinke will be the most sought after starting pitcher this coming off-season and could command a contract that could rival that of Kershaw’s seven-year / $215 million contract which technically runs through the 2020 season. I say technically because Kershaw also has an opt-out clause in his contract after the 2018 season. Both Greinke and Kershaw are represented by agent Casey Close of Excel Sports.

Is Greinke concerned about his contract status with the Dodgers?

“I guess when you get a good contract, you don’t have to worry about anything but making your pitches,” Greinke said. “The rest will take care of itself.”

But as anxious as Dodger fans might be at the thought of losing the potential 2015 NL Cy Young award winner, they have two things going for them: 1) Zack Greinke loves being a Dodger, in spite of the rumors that he is dissatisfied with how Mattingly runs the team; and 2) There may not be another team that can afford to pay what Greinke will undoubtedly want. And while neither of these give Dodger fans a warm and fuzzy feeling that Greinke will remain in Dodger Blue, it’s better than nothing. Another thing to consider is that Greinke is extremely fond of Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten, who he once called “the smartest man I know.” But as we all have come to know about Major League Baseball, “It’s all about the money.”

Of course Greinke’s masterpiece on Thursday night wouldn’t have happened had he not receive some seemingly rare run support from his teammates. Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig, who had come in early on Thursday to work with batting coach Mark McGwire on his stance and swing, hit a two-run double down the left field line in the bottom of the fourth inning to get the Dodgers on the board. This was followed by an Adrian Gonzalez two-run home run that hit the right field fair pole in the sixth inning. Puig then homered in the eighth inning – a two-run shot to left-center that just cleared the wall – to give the Dodgers and Greinke the eventual 6-0 win.

Puig’s fourth-inning two run double would prove to be all the runs that Zack Greinke would need to collect his eighth win of the season. Puig also hit a two-run homer run in the eighth inning in the Dodgers eventual 6-0 win. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Although Greinke’s future with the Dodgers remains uncertain, it is comforting to know that both he and Kershaw appear to be at the top of their game right now, which will become essential as the team attempts to win their third consecutive NL West title. And while Kershaw rightfully remains the lead dog in the Dodgers rotation, Dodger fans might want to buy a ticket for Greinke’s next home start -which presumably will be on Wednesday, July 29 against the Oakland A’s.

Why, you ask?

Because Greinke is currently at 35.2 consecutive scoreless innings. And if he can keep his streak alive until then, he will be getting close to the records set by Orel Hershiser (59) and Don Drysdale (58) by then.

Wouldn’t that be something if the top-three record-holders were all Dodgers?