Baseball is a sport full of remarkable feats and records, and few accomplishments are more impressive than throwing a perfect game. A perfect game is a game in which a pitcher or pitchers holds the opposing team hitless and walks no batters. It’s a rare occurrence, as only 23 perfect games have been thrown in Major League Baseball (MLB) history. But has any pitcher ever thrown two perfect games?
The History of Perfect Games
The first perfect game in MLB history occurred in 1880 when John Montgomery Ward of the Providence Grays threw a perfect game against the Buffalo Bisons. Since then, 22 more perfect games have been thrown. Of those 23 perfect games, five have been thrown since 2000, the most recent being thrown by the Seattle Mariners’ Felix Hernandez in 2012.
The Pitchers Who Have Thrown Perfect Games
The 23 pitchers who have thrown perfect games in MLB history include:
- John Montgomery Ward (Providence Grays)
- Cy Young (Boston Americans)
- Addie Joss (Cleveland Indians)
- Charlie Robertson (Chicago White Sox)
- Don Larsen (New York Yankees)
- Jim Bunning (Philadelphia Phillies)
- Sandy Koufax (Los Angeles Dodgers)
- Catfish Hunter (Oakland Athletics)
- Len Barker (Cleveland Indians)
- Mike Witt (California Angels)
- Tom Browning (Cincinnati Reds)
- Dennis Martinez (Montreal Expos)
- Kenny Rogers (Texas Rangers)
- David Cone (New York Yankees)
- David Wells (New York Yankees)
- Randy Johnson (Arizona Diamondbacks)
- Mark Buehrle (Chicago White Sox)
- Dallas Braden (Oakland Athletics)
- Roy Halladay (Philadelphia Phillies)
- Matt Cain (San Francisco Giants)
- Philip Humber (Chicago White Sox)
- Felix Hernandez (Seattle Mariners)
Has Any Pitcher Thrown Two Perfect Games?
The simple answer is no. No pitcher in MLB history has thrown two perfect games. The closest any pitcher has come to doing so is Hall of Famer Cy Young, who threw a perfect game in 1904 and then threw another no-hitter in 1908.
The Difficulty of Throwing Two Perfect Games
Throwing a perfect game is an incredibly difficult feat. It requires both exceptional skill and a great deal of luck. For a pitcher to throw two perfect games, they would have to have an even higher level of skill and an even greater amount of luck.
The Closest Pitchers to Throwing Two Perfect Games
While no pitcher has thrown two perfect games, there are a few who have come close. Chief among those is Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, who threw a perfect game in 1965 and then threw a no-hitter in 1966. Another Hall of Famer, Randy Johnson, threw a perfect game in 2004 and then threw a no-hitter in 2009.
The Impact of the Designated Hitter
The designated hitter (DH) rule has had an impact on perfect games in MLB. The DH rule was introduced in 1973, and since then there have been only seven perfect games thrown. Before the DH rule was introduced, there were 16 perfect games thrown in MLB history.
The Difficulty of Throwing a Perfect Game in Today’s MLB
Today’s MLB is a much different league than it was in the past. The game is dominated by power hitters and high-scoring games. This makes it even harder for pitchers to throw perfect games, as they have to navigate around some of the game’s best hitters.
Conclusion
In conclusion, no pitcher has thrown two perfect games in MLB history. Throwing a perfect game is an incredibly difficult feat, and throwing two would be nearly impossible. While a few pitchers have come close, the feat has yet to be accomplished.