Who are the 23 MLB pitchers who have thrown a perfect game?

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The perfect game is one of the greatest and rarest accomplishments in Major League Baseball, having only occurred 23 times in history. Here’s a look at all 23 pitchers who finished their starts with 27 up and 27 down.

 

1 of 23

Felix Hernandez: Aug. 15, 2012

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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.

 

2 of 23

Matt Cain: June 13, 2012

Matt Cain: June 13, 2012

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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.

 

3 of 23

Philip Humber: April 21, 2012

Philip Humber: April 21, 2012

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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.

 

4 of 23

Roy Halladay: May 29, 2010

Roy Halladay: May 29, 2010

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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.

 

5 of 23

Dallas Braden: May 9, 2010

Dallas Braden: May 9, 2010

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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.

 

6 of 23

Mark Buehrle: July 23, 2009

Mark Buehrle: July 23, 2009

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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.

 

7 of 23

Randy Johnson: May 18, 2004

Randy Johnson: May 18, 2004

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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.

 

8 of 23

David Cone: July 18, 1999

David Cone: July 18, 1999

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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.

 

9 of 23

David Wells: May 17, 1998

David Wells: May 17, 1998

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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.

 

10 of 23

Kenny Rogers: July 28, 1994

Kenny Rogers: July 28, 1994

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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.

 

11 of 23

Dennis Martinez: July 28, 1991

Dennis Martinez: July 28, 1991

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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.

 

12 of 23

Tom Browning: Sept. 16, 1988

Tom Browning: Sept. 16, 1988

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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.

 

13 of 23

Mike Witt: Sept. 30, 1984

Mike Witt: Sept. 30, 1984

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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.

 

14 of 23

Len Barker: May 15, 1981

Len Barker: May 15, 1981

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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.

 

15 of 23

Catfish Hunter: May 8, 1968

Catfish Hunter: May 8, 1968

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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.

 

16 of 23

Sandy Koufax: Sept. 9, 1965

Sandy Koufax: Sept. 9, 1965

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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.

 

17 of 23

Jim Bunning: June 21, 1964

Jim Bunning: June 21, 1964

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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.

 

18 of 23

Don Larsen: Oct. 8, 1956

Don Larsen: Oct. 8, 1956

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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.

 

19 of 23

Charlie Robertson: April 30, 1922

Charlie Robertson: April 30, 1922

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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.

 

20 of 23

Addie Joss: Oct. 2, 1908

Addie Joss: Oct. 2, 1908

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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.

 

21 of 23

Cy Young: May 5, 1904

Cy Young: May 5, 1904

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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.

 

22 of 23

John Montgomery Ward: June 17, 1880

John Montgomery Ward: June 17, 1880

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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.

 

23 of 23

Lee Richmond: June 12, 1880

Lee Richmond: June 12, 1880

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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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