Baseball's rarest pitching feat is achieved by fewer than 0.0003% of MLB pitchers. Only 24 perfect games have been thrown since 1876. Cy Young and Don Larsen each famously delivered one. These 27 outs without a baserunner are the pinnacle of individual dominance.

TL;DR

A perfect game is baseball's rarest achievement, requiring a pitcher to retire all 27 batters in order. No hits, walks, or errors can occur. Since the modern era began, only 24 instances have been recorded in MLB history. It remains the gold standard for individual dominance, with Domingo German throwing the most recent one for the New York Yankees in 2023.

What Are the Specific Rules of a Perfect Game?

A perfect game requires a pitcher to retire every batter they face without anyone reaching first base by any means. This means the pitcher cannot allow hits, walks, or hit batters. The defence must also play flawlessly to avoid errors or fielder's choices.

The Official Baseball Rules state a perfect game must last at least nine innings. If a game goes into extra innings, the pitcher must continue the streak to maintain perfection. If a runner reaches base via the "ghost runner" rule in extras, the perfect game ends.

Sources:MLB Official Rules

How Does It Differ From a No-Hitter?

The primary difference is that a no-hitter allows players to reach base through walks, hit batsmen, or fielding errors. A perfect game is a specific type of no-hitter where the "baserunners allowed" count stays at zero.

A pitcher can throw a no-hitter while walking ten batters or hitting three. In those cases, they still completed the game without giving up a hit, but the performance wasn't "perfect." Every perfect game is a no-hitter, but very few no-hitters qualify as perfect games.

Sources:Baseball Almanac

How to Decide if a Pitcher is Having a Career Performance

Determining a historic performance involves tracking specific metrics throughout the first five innings of play. Fans should look for these indicators:

• The pitcher has retired 15 consecutive batters to start the game.
• The strikeout count is significantly higher than the pitcher's season average.
• The pitch count remains low, usually under 60 pitches after five frames.
• Defensive players are making high-difficulty catches to preserve the streak.
• The stadium atmosphere shifts as the "no-talk" dugout superstition begins.

Final Thoughts

A perfect game is a statistical miracle that requires both individual skill and defensive luck. When it happens, it secures a pitcher's place in sports history forever.

References:

MLB Official Perfect Game ListBaseball Reference Stat Definitions