CINCINNATI -- When Chicago Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio talks, he usually has something important to say. Just ask his hurlers, who are off to a great start in 2016, led by his prized possession Cy Young winner -- and now owner of two no-hitters -- Jake Arrieta.

Arrieta threw his second career no-no and the first by any pitcher this season on Thursday night, in Game No. 16 for the Cubs. That leaves plenty of time for more.

“I said in spring training this is the year we’re going to get three,” Bosio said boldly on Friday. “I still believe that. Any given night, any one of these guys can do it. Who knows, maybe that number is correct or maybe that number is higher.”

With a game plan set for dealing with a no-hit bid, Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio and ace Jake Arrieta won't face an unpleasant conversation the next time it comes up. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Told of that prediction, Arrieta smirked but didn’t dismiss it.

“Only 17 games in or so, he should be feeling pretty good about that,” Arrieta said. “I think we’ll have at least one more as a staff.”

Arrieta proceeded to reel off the reasons why Jon Lester, John Lackey, Jason Hammel and even Kyle Hendricks might throw one. And Arrieta should have about 28 more chances himself.

If all of this sounds strange, consider that the Cubs had a “no-hit” protocol in place well before Arrieta threw his first one in August. Back in the spring of 2015, Cubs president Theo Epstein, along with Bosio and others, came up with a plan in case any of their starters were approaching the historic accomplishment. Arrieta began flirting with no-hitters in 2014, so perhaps the club felt it needed some guidelines well before the situation presented itself.

“We all sat down in a room and talked about it, then we were able to bring the starters in,” Bosio recalled. “We wanted to clear the air.

“There’s not that many stones that get unturned. We try to stay ahead of it.”

There wasn’t a lot to go over. Most of it revolved around pitch counts. Cubs manager Joe Maddon is well aware of the historic significance of a no-hitter, but he simply wanted players to know what the thought process was before the heat of the moment was upon them.

“You don’t want to be obscene,” Maddon explained. “I would say like 130-something [pitches] would start giving me the hives or a recurrence of shingles.”

The Cubs were close to having those discussions on Thursday, as Arrieta had thrown 85 pitches through six innings, but his nine-pitch seventh and eighth innings killed the debate right there.

“[Catching coach Mike] Borzello and I call it Heinz ketchup innings,” Bosio said. “Anything 10 or less. Just seems like when we're going good, our starters can do that.”

So that part of the protocol took care of itself as Arrieta entered the ninth inning having thrown 103 pitches, a manageable number. But Bosio wasn’t done.

“We would never get anyone up in the middle of a no-hitter just because, for no-hitter protocol reasons,” Bosio said. “Everyone stay in your seat, shut up and watch the game.”

Having a reliever warming up might be bad luck or could throw the starter off if he happens to look down at the bullpen and see his potential replacement getting ready. So the Cubs kept to protocol while still keeping guys on their toes.

“[Relievers] playing catch with the [right fielder] to keep loose,” Bosio said. “That’s one way we can hide it.”

This was all planned out ahead of time. So what did Arrieta think back in spring 2015 when asked to discuss with his bosses what might happen in the case of a no-hitter? Did it seem strange?

Not really.

“It’s kind of -- to cross that bridge before something comes up, to address that issue,” Arrieta said.

For Maddon, it provided guidelines for what can be among the toughest decisions a manager has to make.

“They knew I knew [what to do] without having to say anything,” Maddon explained.

So Arrieta understood that if he were nearing 110 pitches after seven or eight innings, there was “probably a good chance they would shut it down.” It never came up Thursday, but there’s always a next time, at least according to Bosio -- and Arrieta.

“I think it’s possible,” Arrieta said. “I think I’ll be in these positions again. But it takes one broken bat or a guy hitting a gapper. It’s tough. So many things have to go right, but I think I’ll have my opportunity again.”