A perfect game in baseball is a game in which a pitcher (or combination of pitchers) pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. This means no hits, walks, hit batsmen, errors, passed balls, catcher’s interference, or any opposing batter reaching base safely for any reason. Thus far, only 23 perfect games have been pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) history, the most recent of which was thrown by Félix Hernández of the Seattle Mariners on August 15, 2012.
What is a perfect game?
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher (or combination of pitchers) pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no batter reaches first base. Thus, the pitcher (or pitchers) must not allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, errors, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any other reason. The feat has been rarely accomplished in MLB history, having occurred only 23 times since the modern era of baseball began in 1900. Many perfect games have been broken up by errors made by the defense later in the game that do not allow a batter to reach first base. Pitching a perfect game is among the greatest accomplishments a pitcher can achieve in MLB.
How rare are perfect games?
Perfect games are exceptionally rare in baseball, due to the difficulty of pitching to each opposing batter without allowing anyone to reach base safely over at least 9 innings. Since the beginning of the modern era of Major League Baseball in 1900, there have been over 200,000 games played, but only 23 recognized perfect games, making the probability of a perfect game less than 1 in 10,000 MLB games played. Consider that there are on average around 4-5 no-hitters each MLB season, yet perfect games only happen around once every 5-6 years on average. The precise combination of pitching skill, defensive support, and luck required makes a perfect game one of the rarest accomplishments in sports.
Notable Perfect Games in MLB History
Here is a summary of some of the most memorable perfect games pitched in MLB history:
Don Larsen, 1956 World Series
On October 8, 1956, Don Larsen of the New York Yankees pitched a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series. This remains the only perfect game ever pitched in postseason and World Series play. Larsen’s gem clinched the series for the Yankees.
Sandy Koufax, 1965 regular season
On September 9, 1965, Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitched a perfect game against the Chicago Cubs, striking out 14 batters. This was Koufax’s fourth no-hitter, setting a Major League record (later broken by Nolan Ryan).
David Cone, 1999 regular season
On July 18, 1999, David Cone of the New York Yankees pitched a perfect game against rival the Montreal Expos, striking out 10 batters. At the time, Cone was just two years removed from surgery related to an aneurysm.
Mark Buehrle, 2009 regular season
On July 23, 2009, Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox pitched a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays. This was one of only two perfect games pitched in the 21st century thus far. Buehrle would also go on to pitch a no-hitter later in his career.
Félix Hernández, 2012 regular season
On August 15, 2012, Félix Hernández of the Seattle Mariners pitched a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays, striking out 12 batters. This remains the most recent perfect game in MLB.
Matt Cain, 2012 regular season
On June 13, 2012, Matt Cain of the San Fransisco Giants pitched a perfect game against the Houston Astros, striking out 14 batters. This was the first perfect game pitched in the Giants’ lengthy franchise history. Cain did not allow a single Houston batter to reach first base.
The Full List of Perfect Games in MLB History
Here is the complete list of all 23 perfect games pitched in Major League Baseball since 1900, including the date, pitcher, team, and opponent:
Date | Pitcher | Team | Opponent |
---|---|---|---|
May 5, 1904 | Cy Young | Boston Americans | Philadelphia Athletics |
October 2, 1908 | Addie Joss | Cleveland Naps | Chicago White Sox |
April 30, 1922 | Charlie Robertson | Chicago White Sox | Detroit Tigers |
October 8, 1956 | Don Larsen | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers |
June 21, 1964 | Jim Bunning | Philadelphia Phillies | New York Mets |
September 9, 1965 | Sandy Koufax | Los Angeles Dodgers | Chicago Cubs |
May 8, 1968 | Catfish Hunter | Oakland Athletics | Minnesota Twins |
May 15, 1981 | Len Barker | Cleveland Indians | Toronto Blue Jays |
September 30, 1984 | Mike Witt | California Angels | Texas Rangers |
September 16, 1988 | Tom Browning | Cincinnati Reds | Los Angeles Dodgers |
July 28, 1991 | Dennis Martinez | Montreal Expos | Los Angeles Dodgers |
July 28, 1994 | Kenny Rogers | Texas Rangers | California Angels |
May 17, 1998 | David Wells | New York Yankees | Minnesota Twins |
July 18, 1999 | David Cone | New York Yankees | Montreal Expos |
April 21, 2012 | Philip Humber | Chicago White Sox | Seattle Mariners |
June 13, 2012 | Matt Cain | San Francisco Giants | Houston Astros |
August 15, 2012 | Félix Hernández | Seattle Mariners | Tampa Bay Rays |
April 21, 2010 | Dallas Braden | Oakland Athletics | Tampa Bay Rays |
May 9, 2010 | Roy Halladay | Philadelphia Phillies | Florida Marlins |
July 23, 2009 | Mark Buehrle | Chicago White Sox | Tampa Bay Rays |
May 18, 2004 | Randy Johnson | Arizona Diamondbacks | Atlanta Braves |
July 23, 1922 | Ernie Shore | Boston Red Sox | Washington Senators |
June 21, 2012 | Matt Cain | San Francisco Giants | Houston Astros |
May 29, 2010 | Roy Halladay | Philadelphia Phillies | Florida Marlins |
October 8, 1956 | Don Larsen | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers |
Notable Active Pitchers Without a Perfect Game
While the list above recounts those historic perfect games that have occurred in MLB history, several of the game’s best modern pitchers have come close but not yet completed a perfect game. Here are some notable active starting pitchers who have pitched no-hitters but not yet attained perfection:
Justin Verlander
Since debuting with the Detroit Tigers in 2005, Verlander has been one of MLB’s most dominant starters. He has pitched three no-hitters in his career, along with winning both the AL Cy Young Award and MVP in 2011. However, he has yet to pitch a perfect game.
Max Scherzer
Now with the New York Mets, Scherzer has compiled one of the most impressive resumes among active pitchers, including three Cy Young Awards and two no-hitters. He came close to perfection in 2015 with Washington, retiring the first 26 batters before hitting a batter.
Zack Greinke
Greinke has pitched two no-hitters in his career so far, one each with the Kansas City Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks. Despite his excellent control and avoiding walks, the 38-year-old veteran has not yet pitched a perfect game.
Jacob deGrom
The two-time Cy Young winner deGrom is in his prime and has led MLB in ERA twice. He has taken a perfect game bid into the 7th inning but not completed the feat over 9 innings. At age 34, deGrom still has time to potentially achieve the historic milestone.
Clayton Kershaw
Kershaw’s Hall of Fame resume features three Cy Young Awards, an MVP, and a no-hitter, but he has yet to pitch a perfect game despite taking bids into the later innings. His combination of dominance and durability means he cannot be counted out from one day completing a perfecto.
Analysis of Perfect Games
While individual game performances factor significantly, some analysis of the 23 perfect games reveals interesting trends:
Frequency by Decade
Perfect games remain rare occurrences, though they have happened slightly more often in recent MLB decades:
Decade | Perfect Games |
---|---|
1900s | 2 |
1910s | 1 |
1920s | 1 |
1930s | 0 |
1940s | 0 |
1950s | 2 |
1960s | 2 |
1970s | 0 |
1980s | 3 |
1990s | 4 |
2000s | 5 |
2010s | 3 |
Hall of Fame Pitchers
Of the 23 perfect game pitchers, five are members of the Baseball Hall of Fame: Cy Young, Addie Joss, Jim Bunning, Sandy Koufax, and Catfish Hunter.
Perfect Games by Franchise
The New York Yankees lead MLB with three different pitchers throwing perfect games (Don Larsen, David Wells, David Cone). The Dodgers, White Sox, and Giants have each had two. Twenty of the current 30 MLB teams have never had a pitcher throw a franchise perfect game. The San Diego Padres are the only active franchise to have never had a pitcher throw a no-hitter or perfect game.
Conclusion
In over 130 years of Major League Baseball history, there have only been 23 official perfect games pitched. The precise combination of pitching dominance, defensive support, and good fortune needed to complete this rarest of baseball feats has only been achieved a couple dozen times. Since the modern MLB era began in 1900, the list contains legends like Cy Young and Sandy Koufax, along with more unexpected pitchers such as journeyman Philip Humber. Only one has occurred in the high-pressure environment of the World Series. While modern ace pitchers like Verlander, Scherzer, and Kershaw have come close, pitching the next perfect game remains one of baseball’s toughest challenges. Yet each new MLB season brings hope that another pitcher may one day accomplish this pinnacle accomplishment of pitching the perfect game.