Who are the 24 MLB pitchers who have thrown a perfect game?
The perfect game is one of the greatest and rarest accomplishments in Major League Baseball, having only occurred 24 times in history. Here's a look at all 24 pitchers who finished their starts with 27 up and 27 down.
Domingo German: June 28, 2023
Eleven years after the most recent perfect game, New York Yankees starter Domingo German became the 24th pitcher in league history to throw a perfect game in an 11-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics. The 30-year-old struck out nine batters.
Felix Hernandez: Aug. 15, 2012
King Felix was perfect just a little over two months after Matt Cain threw a perfect game for the Giants. The Seattle ace fanned 12 Rays batters in a 1-0 win.
Matt Cain: June 13, 2012
Cain absolutely dominated the Astros, as the Giants won 10-0. He fanned 14 Astros hitters, tying Sandy Koufax's record for the most in a perfect game.
Philip Humber: April 21, 2012
Humber threw an improbable perfect game in his first career complete game. The right-hander fanned nine Mariners in a 4-0 win for the White Sox.
Roy Halladay: May 29, 2010
Just 20 days after Dallas Braden threw a perfect game for the A's, Halladay was able to do the same. The Phillies ace struck out 11 Marlins in the 1-0 win and went on to win the Cy Young Award.
Dallas Braden: May 9, 2010
Braden embraced his grandmother on Mother's Day after throwing a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays. He recorded all 27 outs with six strikeouts in Oakland's 4-0 win.
Mark Buehrle: July 23, 2009
Buehrle didn't seem like a great candidate to throw a perfect game given his lack of strikeouts, but he was perfect against the Rays. The White Sox lefty fanned six batters in a 5-0 win.
Randy Johnson: May 18, 2004
Johnson became both the oldest and tallest pitcher to throw a perfect game, as the 6-10, 40-year-old lefty dominated the Braves in a 2-0 win. He finished the game with 13 strikeouts, though that was almost routine for the Hall of Fame flamethrower.
David Cone: July 18, 1999
Just a little over a year after teammate David Wells threw a perfect game, Cone matched the historic feat. The right-hander fanned 10 batters and finished the game economically on only 88 pitches, as New York defeated the Expos 6-0.
David Wells: May 17, 1998
Wells claims to have been hungover from a long night of drinking when he threw a perfect game for the Yankees against the Twins at Yankee Stadium. The lefty struck out 11 batters and finished the game in 120 pitches.
Kenny Rogers: July 28, 1994
Exactly three years after Dennis Martinez threw a perfect game, Rogers was perfect against the Angels in a 4-0 victory. The Rangers lefty fanned eight batters and was saved by a diving catch by Rusty Greer in the ninth inning.
Dennis Martinez: July 28, 1991
Martinez proved that age is just a number, throwing a perfect game at age 36. He became the first pitcher born outside the United States to throw a perfect game, finishing with five strikeouts as the Expos beat the Dodgers 2-0.
Tom Browning: Sept. 16, 1988
Browning wrapped up a perfect game against the Dodgers in less than two hours, as the Reds won 1-0. The game started more than two hours late following a rain delay, and Browning finished with seven strikeouts.
Mike Witt: Sept. 30, 1984
Witt and the Angels finished the 1984 season in style, recording a perfect game against the Texas Rangers on the final game of the season. Witt struck out 10 batters, beating Charlie Hough, who also threw a complete game for the Rangers.
Len Barker: May 15, 1981
Barker was the first pitcher to throw a perfect game against an opposing team that was using the designated hitter. His Cleveland Indians defeated Toronto 3-0, and Barker finished with 11 strikeouts.
Catfish Hunter: May 8, 1968
Hunter was perfect against the Twins in a 4-0 A's victory, but he also performed well as a hitter during the game. He finished 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI, in addition to his perfect game with 11 strikeouts.
Sandy Koufax: Sept. 9, 1965
Koufax tore through the Cubs in a 1-0 victory at Dodger Stadium that lasted just one hour, 43 minutes. Cubs starter Bob Hendley allowed only one hit in the game and allowed an unearned run.
Jim Bunning: June 21, 1964
Bunning was perfect against a very bad Mets team that eventually lost 109 games, but that hardly makes the unique feat less impressive.The Hall of Famer fanned 10 batters, as the Phillies won 6-0 on Father's Day.
Don Larsen: Oct. 8, 1956
Thirty-four years after the last perfect game, Larsen had arguably the greatest pitching performance in baseball history given the stakes. Facing the Brooklyn Dodgers with the World Series tied 2-2, Larsen was perfect in a 2-0 Yankees win. The Yankees would go on to win the World Series in seven games.
Charlie Robertson: April 30, 1922
Robertson made history in only his fourth major league start, as the White Sox beat the Tigers 2-0. He struck out six in the game.
Addie Joss: Oct. 2, 1908
With the Cleveland Naps in a heated pennant race, Joss came up big with a perfect game in the team's 1-0 win over the White Sox. He fanned three batters, while his counterpart, Ed Walsh, only allowed one unearned run and struck out 15 in eight innings.
Cy Young: May 5, 1904
One of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, Young was perfect against the Philadelphia Athletics in a 3-0 win. He struck out eight batters as the Boston Americans won 3-0.
John Montgomery Ward: June 17, 1880
Just five days after the first perfect game, Ward accomplished history himself. His Providence Grays defeated the Buffalo Bisons 2-0, and Ward struck out two batters.
Lee Richmond: June 12, 1880
Richmond threw the first perfect game in MLB history, as the Worcester Ruby Legs defeated the Cleveland Blues. He fanned five batters in the game.
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