Yankees’ Pitcher Domingo Germán Throws 24th Perfect Game In MLB History

Domingo Germán, the Yankees’ opening pitcher, created history on Wednesday night in Oakland. In an 11-0 victory for the Yankees, he pitched the 24th perfect game in major league history and the first since 2012. Germán faced just 27 hitters and retired them all in a perfect game. Nobody from the opposition made it to base.

Yankees’ Pitcher Domingo German Throws 24th Perfect Game In MLB History

The achievement ends an 11-year streak since Seattle Mariners legend Félix Hernández’s perfect game on August 15, 2012. Since Catfish Hunter’s 13-year drought between 1968 and Len Barker’s drought in 1981, this one was the longest.

As with many perfect games, Germán’s accomplishment wasn’t all his own as he benefited from solid defensive plays like this diving stop in the fifth inning.

Germán threw a great curveball. With that pitch, he recorded 20 of his 27 outs. Out of the 51 total curves he hit, he had 12 swings and misses.

He was very effective, finishing the game with just 99 pitches. In actuality, this was also Germán’s first finished game.

Germán didn’t exactly come into the match on a roll. In his previous two starts, he surrendered 17 runs, 15 of them earned, on 15 hits over 5 1/3 innings. The last time he pitched, he allowed 10 runs on his own, making him the pitcher in history with the most runs allowed in the start that preceded a perfect game.

David Cone’s perfect game for the Yankees on July 18, 1999, was the most recent one. The Yankees have also had perfect games pitched by Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series and David Wells in 1998.

The Yankees now lead the MLB standings over the White Sox thanks to Germán’s perfect game. With three flawless games, the two teams previously shared the record.

Germán said through a translator that he was throwing just two days after his uncle passed away following the game. He paid tribute to a deceased family member by dedicating the success:

“I cried a lot yesterday in the clubhouse. I had him with me throughout the whole game. I was thinking about him, and it happened. This game is a tribute to him.

“He would  have been so happy. He was always someone who brought joy to our family and it happened for him to watch this from up there.”

Perfect games in MLB: complete list

  1. Lee Richmond (Worcester Ruby Legs): June 12, 1880 vs. Cleveland Blues
  2. Monte Ward (Providence Grays): June 17, 1880 vs. Buffalo Bisons
  3. Cy Young (Boston Pilgrims): May 5, 1904 vs. Philadelphia Athletics
  4. Addie Joss (Cleveland Naps): October 2, 1908 vs. Chicago White Sox
  5. Charlie Robertson (Chicago White Sox): April 30, 1922 vs. Detroit Tigers
  6. Don Larsen (New York Yankees): October 8, 1956 vs. Brooklyn Dodgers
  7. Jim Bunning (Philadelphia Phillies): June 21, 1964 vs. New York Mets
  8. Sandy Koufax (Los Angeles Dodgers): September 9, 1965 vs. Chicago Cubs
  9. Catfish Hunter (Oakland Athletics): May 8, 1968 vs. Minnesota Twins
  10. Len Barker (Cleveland): May 15, 1981 vs. Toronto Blue Jays
  11. Mike Witt (California Angels): September 30, 1984 vs. Texas Rangers
  12. Tom Browning (Cincinnati Reds): September 16, 1988 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
  13. Dennis Martinez (Montreal Expos): July 28, 1991 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
  14. Kenny Rogers (Texas Rangers): July 28, 1994 vs. California Angels
  15. David Wells (New York Yankees): May 17, 1998 vs. Minnesota Twins
  16. David Cone (New York Yankees): July 18, 1999 vs. Montreal Expos
  17. Randy Johnson (Arizona Diamondbacks): May 18, 2004 vs. Atlanta Braves
  18. Mark Buehrle (Chicago White Sox): July 23, 2009 vs. Tampa Bay Rays
  19. Dallas Braden (Oakland Athletics): May 9, 2010 vs. Tampa Bay Rays
  20. Roy Halladay (Philadelphia Phillies): May 29, 2010 vs. Florida Marlins
  21. Philip Humber (Chicago White Sox): April 21, 2012 vs. Seattle Mariners
  22. Matt Cain (San Francisco Giants): June 13, 2012 vs. Houston Astros
  23. Félix Hernández (Seattle Mariners): August 15, 2012 vs. Tampa Bay Rays
  24. Domingo Germán (New York Yankees): June 28, 2023 vs. Oakland Athletics

 

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