- Only 24 perfect games have been thrown in MLB history.
- No pitcher has thrown more than one.
- Don Larsen is the only pitcher with a perfect game in the playoffs.
Perfect games aren’t always thrown by pitchers with the shortest Cy Young price in the latest Major League Baseball odds. A perfect game is a very rare achievement, and it requires a great deal of skill, but there is a significant amount of luck involved, too.
How Many Perfect Games in MLB Are There?
Twenty-four. There have been a total of 24 perfect games in MLB history. The first was thrown by Lee Richmond in 1880, with the second achieved only five days later by John Montgomery Ward. This remains the smallest gap between perfect games.
The 2010 and 2012 seasons are the only other years with multiple perfect games.
When Was the Last Perfect Game?
The last perfect game was thrown by Domingo Germán for the New York Yankees against the Oakland Athletics on June 28, 2023.
The Yankees won the game 11-0. Giancarlo Stanton led the way offensively with three RBIs. Kyle Higashioka became the 23rd catcher to catch a perfect game.
Germán wasn’t one of the baseball betting favourites for the Cy Young at any point before or during the 2023 season, but his performance at Oakland Coliseum secured his place in MLB history.
Which Pitchers Have Thrown a Perfect Game?
| Rank | Pitcher | Team | Opponent | Year |
| 1 | Lee Richmond | Worcester Worcesters | Cleveland Blues | 1880 |
| 2 | John Montgomery Ward | Providence Grays | Buffalo Bisons | 1880 |
| 3 | Cy Young | Boston Americans | Philadelphia Athletics | 1904 |
| 4 | Addie Joss | Cleveland Naps | Chicago White Sox | 1908 |
| 5 | Charlie Robertson | Chicago White Sox | Detroit Tigers | 1922 |
| 6 | Don Larsen | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 1956 |
| 7 | Jim Bunning | Philadelphia Phillies | New York Mets | 1964 |
| 8 | Sandy Koufax | Los Angeles Dodgers | Chicago Cubs | 1965 |
| 9 | Catfish Hunter | Oakland Athletics | Minnesota Twins | 1968 |
| 10 | Len Barker | Cleveland | Toronto Blue Jays | 1981 |
| 11 | Mike Witt | California Angels | Texas Rangers | 1984 |
| 12 | Tom Browning | Cincinnati Reds | Los Angeles Dodgers | 1988 |
| 13 | Dennis Martinez | Montreal Expos | Los Angeles Dodgers | 1991 |
| 14 | Kenny Rogers | Texas Rangers | California Angels | 1994 |
| 15 | David Wells | New York Yankees | Minnesota Twins | 1998 |
| 16 | David Cone | New York Yankees | Montreal Expos | 1999 |
| 17 | Randy Johnson | Arizona Diamondbacks | Atlanta Braves | 2004 |
| 18 | Mark Buehrle | Chicago White Sox | Tampa Bay Rays | 2009 |
| 19 | Dallas Braden | Oakland Athletics | Tampa Bay Rays | 2010 |
| 20 | Roy Halladay | Philadelphia Phillies | Florida Marlins | 2010 |
| 21 | Philip Humber | Chicago White Sox | Seattle Mariners | 2012 |
| 22 | Matt Cain | San Francisco Giants | Houston Astros | 2012 |
| 23 | Felix Hernandez | Seattle Mariners | Tampa Bay Rays | 2012 |
| 24 | Domingo German | New York Yankees | Oakland Athletics | 2023 |
What’s More Rare Than a Perfect Game?
Hitting four home runs in a game is rarer than a perfect game. Only 18 four-home run games have been achieved in MLB history, which is six fewer than the number of perfect games.
