A perfect game is one of baseball’s rarest outcomes. In a perfect game, a pitcher allows no runner to reach base across nine full innings.
It blends skill, focus, defense, and timing into a single performance. The pitcher and defense must leave no margin for error.
Major League Baseball has recorded 24 official perfect games across more than a century of play. Each one meets strict rules that define perfection. No perfect game has ever been shared by more than one pitcher.
This article walks through every confirmed perfect game. It explains how the rules shaped them and highlights the pitchers and moments that made them unforgettable.
It also addresses debated games. Changes in baseball have influenced the chances of perfection.
What Is a Perfect Game?
A perfect game is one of baseball’s rarest outcomes. It requires precise pitching and clean defense.
Strict rules leave no room for error.
Difference Between a Perfect Game and a No-Hitter
A perfect game and a no-hitter both block hits, but they are not the same. In a no-hitter, batters can still reach base through walks, hit batters, or fielding errors.
The pitcher allows no hits in a no-hitter. The defense may still give up baserunners.
A perfect game removes every exception. The pitcher retires all 27 batters in order.
No one reaches base for any reason.
| Category | Perfect Game | No-Hitter |
|---|---|---|
| Hits allowed | 0 | 0 |
| Walks or hit batters | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Errors allowing runners | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Total batters faced | 27 | 27 or more |
MLB has recorded only 24 perfect games in over 150 years. The official list of MLB perfect games shows each one.
The Definition and Origins of the Perfect Game
A perfect game occurs when a pitcher completes at least nine innings and prevents every opposing batter from reaching base. MLB rules require no hits, no walks, no hit-by-pitches, and no errors that allow a runner on base.
The first perfect games appeared in 1880, during early baseball history. At that time, pitchers threw underhand, and batters needed eight balls to earn a walk.
As rules stabilized in the early 1900s, the modern definition took shape. Since then, perfect games have remained extremely rare.
Across hundreds of thousands of games, only a small group of pitchers has met this standard. MLB records, summarized by MLB.com’s history of perfect games, confirm this rarity.
The Term “Perfecto” in Baseball
Baseball writers and broadcasters often use the word perfecto as shorthand for a perfect game. The term adds color but carries no official meaning under MLB rules.
Announcers usually say “perfecto” late in games when the outcome remains possible. The word signals tension without changing the definition.
Fans and media use it widely, but scorebooks and rulebooks do not. Every perfecto still follows the same strict requirements.
One pitcher must retire every batter. No combined efforts count, even though combined no-hitters exist.
The term reflects baseball culture rather than regulation. It highlights how rare the achievement is within the long span of professional baseball history.
Official Perfect Games in MLB History
Major League Baseball has recorded 24 official perfect games across more than a century of play. These games show how rare perfection is.
They also show who achieved it and which teams took part.
Chronological List of All MLB Perfect Games
MLB history lists 24 perfect games, starting in 1880 and continuing through 2023. Lee Richmond and John Montgomery Ward threw the first two perfect games just five days apart in 1880.
No other pair came that close in time. The modern era added 22 more games, with long gaps between some of them.
Baseball went more than 30 seasons without a perfect game before 1981. The pace increased after 1980, with 15 perfect games since that time.
The 2012 season alone saw three perfect games, the most in one year. A full chronological list of perfect games in MLB history appears on the Wikipedia list of Major League Baseball perfect games.
Pitchers Who Achieved Perfection
Each perfect game belongs to a single pitcher. No one has done it twice.
The group includes Hall of Famers and lesser-known players. Famous pitchers include Cy Young, Sandy Koufax, Randy Johnson, and Roy Halladay.
Each already had a strong career before his perfect game. Koufax struck out 14 batters in 1965, the highest total in a perfect game.
Others reached perfection without long success. Philip Humber finished his career with a losing record.
Dallas Braden retired after only five seasons. A complete list of pitchers with perfect games appears at the Baseball Almanac perfect games archive.
Notable Moments and Records
Several perfect games carry added meaning because of timing or setting. Don Larsen threw the only postseason perfect game in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series.
Addie Joss needed only 74 pitches in 1908, the fewest known in a perfect game. Sandy Koufax’s game came against a strong Cubs lineup and ended with a 1–0 score.
Some perfect games followed poor starts. Domingo Germán allowed 10 runs in his prior outing, then pitched perfectly days later.
Teams Involved in Perfect Games
Perfect games involve both pitching skill and team defense. The New York Yankees appear often, both as the pitching team and as opponents.
They pitched three perfect games, including Larsen’s World Series game. Other teams include the Cleveland franchise, which has multiple perfect games across different eras.
Expansion teams also appear, such as the Tampa Bay Rays, who lost two perfect games. Some teams have never pitched or faced one.
This mix shows how rare perfect games in MLB remain. A full team-by-team breakdown appears in the MLB perfect games history overview.
Profiles of Legendary Perfect Game Pitchers
Perfect games highlight both lasting greatness and rare single‑day success. Some pitchers entered the Hall of Fame, while others reached history for one night.
Career paths, timing, and team context shaped how each perfect game fit into a larger story.
Hall of Famers With Perfect Games
Several perfect games came from pitchers already known for elite careers. Cy Young threw one in 1904 and later became the namesake of pitching’s top award.
Addie Joss followed in 1908, showing sharp control during a short but dominant career. Sandy Koufax delivered his perfect game in 1965 during a peak run with the Dodgers.
Jim Bunning pitched one in 1964 and later earned Hall of Fame honors for steady excellence. Randy Johnson completed a perfect game in 2004 with overpowering velocity late in his career.
Roy Halladay added one in 2010, reflecting his precision and durability. A full historical record appears in the complete list of MLB perfect games.
Journeymen and Unexpected Achievers
Other perfect games came from pitchers without long runs of dominance. Don Larsen threw the only World Series perfect game in 1956, despite an uneven career.
Charlie Robertson did it in 1922 and never reached stardom again. Len Barker pitched a perfect game in 1981, the highlight of an otherwise mixed career.
Tom Browning surprised hitters in 1988 with pinpoint control. Dallas Braden followed in 2010, using command rather than power.
Pitchers like Philip Humber, Mike Witt, Kenny Rogers, and Dennis Martinez also reached perfection once. These games show how timing, defense, and focus can align on a single day.
Pitcher Biographies: Achievements and Careers
Some pitchers paired perfect games with strong reputations. David Wells and David Cone each threw one for the Yankees during title runs.
Mark Buehrle added speed and efficiency to his 2009 gem. Recent examples include Matt Cain in 2012 and Félix Hernández the same year, both with the Mariners’ ace setting a franchise standard.
Domingo Germán pitched the most recent perfect game in 2023, ending an 11‑year gap. Early history matters too.
Lee Richmond and John Ward, also known as John Montgomery Ward, threw the first two perfect games in 1880. An overview of all official games appears on the Wikipedia list of Major League Baseball perfect games.
Historic Highlights and Unique Perfect Games
Perfect games stand out for different reasons. Some gained meaning from timing, others from rare frequency, and some from unusual settings.
Together, these moments show how context can make an already rare feat even more important.
Don Larsen’s Postseason Perfect Game
Don Larsen threw the only postseason perfect game in MLB history during Game 5 of the 1956 World Series. He pitched for the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers and retired all 27 batters.
The game ended in a 2–0 Yankees win and helped swing the series. It remains the only perfect game ever thrown in the playoffs.
No other postseason game has matched this result, even decades later.
Key details still set this game apart:
- Date: October 8, 1956
- Stage: World Series
- Team: New York Yankees
Larsen’s outing remains unmatched among the all-time MLB perfect games.
Most Recent Perfect Game and Recent Trends
The most recent perfect game came on June 28, 2023. Domingo Germán of the New York Yankees achieved it against the Oakland Athletics.
This game ended a long drought. MLB had not seen a perfect game in more than ten years before Germán’s performance.
His outing became the 24th perfect game in league history. Recent trends show long gaps between perfect games.
Pitch counts, bullpen use, and deeper lineups make perfection harder to reach. Germán’s effort stands out as a rare modern example of complete dominance.
Years With Multiple Perfect Games
Some seasons saw more than one perfect game. These years remain unusual and often reflect short stretches of elite pitching.
Notable multi-perfect-game years include:
- 1880: Two perfect games
- 2010: Two perfect games
- 2012: Three perfect games
The 2012 season stands out the most. Pitchers from different teams reached perfection within months of each other.
Across MLB history, no pitcher has thrown more than one perfect game. The complete list of MLB perfect games confirms how rare repeat chances have been.
Unique Game Circumstances and Playoff Milestones
Several perfect games featured unusual settings or conditions. Some occurred on holidays, while others came in final games of a season.
Examples include:
- A perfect game thrown on Mother’s Day
- A perfect game on the last day of the season
- Cold weather games with small crowds
Only one perfect game happened in the playoffs. Don Larsen’s World Series performance remains the lone example of perfection under postseason pressure.
These details show that perfect games do not follow a pattern. Each one reflects a specific moment, shaped by timing, setting, and stakes within MLB history.
Controversies and Unofficial Perfect Games
Several games met the spirit of a perfect game but failed under official rules. Missed calls, extra innings, and scorekeeper decisions shaped how history recorded these efforts.
Harvey Haddix and Extra Inning Near-Perfection
Harvey Haddix pitched one of the most famous near-perfect games on May 26, 1959. He retired 36 straight batters, covering nine full innings and more.
The game stayed scoreless and moved into extra innings. In the 13th inning, a fielding error put a runner on base.
A sacrifice bunt and a walk followed. Joe Adcock then hit a ball over the fence that ended the game, but officials later ruled it a double because he passed a runner.
Haddix lost 1–0 despite pitching 12 perfect innings. Rules require a perfect game to end after nine innings without any runner reaching base.
Official records list the game as a loss, not a perfect game.
Key facts
| Detail | Result |
|---|---|
| Innings pitched | 12⅔ |
| Batters retired | 36 straight |
| Official status | Not a perfect game |
Armando Galarraga’s Imperfect Game
Armando Galarraga came within one out of a perfect game on June 2, 2010. He retired 26 batters before a ground ball to first base ended his chance.
First base umpire Jim Joyce ruled the runner safe. Replays clearly showed the runner was out.
The call ended the perfect game and changed history. Galarraga finished with a one-hitter instead.
Joyce admitted the mistake after the game and apologized in person. At the time, replay review did not cover that play.
Major League Baseball kept the ruling. The game does not appear on the list of Major League Baseball perfect games.
Other Notable Close Calls and Mistakes
Several other games fell just short of perfection due to rules or judgment calls. These games often spark debate but stay outside the official record.
Common situations include:
- Extra-inning games where a runner reached base after nine perfect innings
- Weather-shortened games that ended before nine innings
- Scorekeeper rulings that charged hits or errors
Harvey Haddix and Pedro Martínez each pitched nine perfect innings but lost perfection in extra frames. Others saw perfect starts erased by late errors or missed calls.
Official rules require a full nine-inning game with no runners reaching base. Anything else, no matter how dominant, stays unofficial.
Evolution of the Perfect Game in Baseball
Perfect games reflect how rules, lineups, and pitching plans have changed across baseball history. Early parks like Messer Street Grounds shaped play.
Modern rules and data now guide every pitch.
Rule Changes and Their Impact
Rule changes altered how pitchers chase perfection. Early games used different mound distances and softer balls, which helped control hitters.
At Messer Street Grounds in the 1800s, uneven fields and small crowds also shaped outcomes. In 1969, MLB lowered the mound to reduce pitcher dominance, making perfect games harder.
Strike zones also shifted over time, which affected walk rates.
Key rule changes tied to perfect games include:
- Mound height lowered (1969)
- Standardized strike zone
- Clear definition of a perfect game
MLB now tracks perfect games under a strict modern rule set, as shown in the official list of MLB perfect games.
Role of the Designated Hitter
The designated hitter changed the challenge in the American League. Pitchers no longer face another pitcher at the plate.
They must retire a full lineup of strong hitters. This shift reduced easy outs.
It raised pitch counts and forced sharper control. Many perfect games still occurred in DH games, which shows how rare and precise the feat is.
A simple comparison helps explain the impact:
| League Type | Lineup Difficulty |
|---|---|
| No DH | One weaker hitter |
| With DH | Nine full hitters |
Several modern perfect games, including recent ones, came in DH settings, as noted in MLB’s all-time perfect games coverage.
### Changing Pitching Strategies Over Time
Pitching strategy changed from endurance to precision. Early pitchers aimed to finish every game.
Modern pitchers focus on efficiency and matchup control. Data now drives decisions.
Teams track spin rate, release point, and batter tendencies. Catchers call pitches with tablets and scouting cards.
Common modern strategy shifts include:
- Fewer complete games overall
- Higher strikeout focus
- Heavy use of video scouting
Perfect games still require defense and timing. No pitcher has thrown more than one, as documented by the Baseball Almanac perfect games record.
