- A perfect game occurs when no batter from the opposing team reaches any base.
- The team cannot allow any hits, walks, batters hit by pitch, fielding errors, etc.
- There have been 23 perfect games in recorded MLB history.
If you’re a baseball fan, chances are you’ve been asked where you were the last time your team had a perfect game — assuming your team ever has. There are few greater achievements for a pitcher than throwing a perfect game, though it’s an extremely rare occurrence, with only 23 recorded in MLB history.
So if a perfect game is such a big deal, what’s it all about?
What Is a Perfect Game?
A perfect game occurs when no batter from the opposing team reaches base over the course of nine innings. This means the team cannot allow any hits, walks, batters hit by pitch, uncaught third strikes, catcher’s or fielder’s interference, or fielding errors.
In a nine-inning game, the pitcher would retire 27 straight batters.
On this date in 2012, Félix Hernández was perfect for the @Mariners 👑
There has still not been a perfect game in MLB since.
(via @MLBVault)pic.twitter.com/FmrzHlCcBg
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 15, 2022
How Many Perfect Games in MLB History?
| PITCHER | TEAM | OPPONENT | DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Richmond | Worcester Worcesters | Cleveland Blues | June 12, 1880 |
| John Montgomery Ward | Providence Grays | Buffalo Bisons | June 17, 1880 |
| Cy Young | Boston Americans | Philadelphia Athletics | May 5, 1904 |
| Addie Joss | Cleveland Naps | Chicago White Sox | October 2, 1908 |
| Charlie Robertson | Chicago White Sox | Detroit Tigers | April 30, 1922 |
| Don Larsen | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | October 8, 1956 |
| Jim Bunning | Philadelphia Phillies | New York Mets | June 21, 1964 |
| Sandy Koufax | Los Angeles Dodgers | Chicago Cubs | September 9, 1965 |
| Catfish Hunter | Oakland Athletics | Minnesota Twins | May 8, 1968 |
| Len Barker | Cleveland Indians | Toronto Blue Jays | May 15, 1981 |
| Mike Witt | California Angels | Texas Rangers | September 30, 1984 |
| Tom Browning | Cincinnati Reds | Los Angeles Dodgers | September 16, 1988 |
| Dennis Martínez | Montreal Expos | Los Angeles Dodgers | July 28, 1991 |
| Kenny Rogers | Texas Rangers | California Angels | July 28, 1994 |
| David Wells | New York Yankees | Minnesota Twins | May 17, 1998 |
| David Cone | New York Yankees | Montreal Expos | July 18, 1999 |
| Randy Johnson | Arizona Diamondbacks | Atlanta Braves | May 18, 2004 |
| Mark Buehrle | Chicago White Sox | Tampa Bay Rays | July 23, 2009 |
| Dallas Braden | Oakland Athletics | Tampa Bay Rays | May 9, 2010 |
| Roy Halladay | Philadelphia Phillies | Florida Marlins | May 29, 2010 |
| Philip Humber | Chicago White Sox | Seattle Mariners | April 21, 2012 |
| Matt Cain | San Francisco Giants | Houston Astros | June 13, 2012 |
| Félix Hernández | Seattle Mariners | Tampa Bay Rays | August 15, 2012 |
There have been 23 perfect games in MLB history — 21 since the modern era began in 1901, plus two in the premodern era. The two perfect games recorded in 1880 were thrown with very different pitching rules in effect, including only underhand pitching was permitted, and there was no defined strike zone.
#OTD in 1956, Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in #postseason history. pic.twitter.com/dc7WMQtoPA
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 8, 2019
Don Larsen’s perfect game occurred in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series, making it the only postseason perfect game in history, and one of only two postseason no-hitters.
The most recent perfect game was pitched by Félix Hernández of the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 15, 2012. The game took place at Safeco Field, now called T-Mobile Park, and after Hernández threw 113 pitches, including 12 strikeouts, the Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 1-0.
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