Which Yankees threw perfect games? Ranking Bronx Bombers who achieved rare feat after Domingo German's historic outing
On June 29, Domingo German of the New York Yankees struck out nine members of the Oakland Athletics to achieve the twenty-second perfect game in modern MLB history.
The marvellous performance from Domingo German was the first perfect game to be witnessed since Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners logged one of his own against the Tampa Bay Rays in 2012.
Rickie Ricardo’s call in Spanish of Domingo German’s perfect game is just special. #Yankees https://t.co/rHYbfBVDi3
"Rickie Ricardo’s call in Spanish of Domingo German’s perfect game is just special. #Yankees" - Will Pesek
In addition to throwing just 99 pitches, Domingo German became the first Yankee to throw a perfect game in almost 25 years. The last New York Yankees pitcher to throw one was David Cone, a current YES Network analyst and five-time MLB All-Star, who tossed an 88-pitch perfect game in 1999. His 88 pitches marked the lowest number needed to achieve the feat since Addie Joss' 74 pitches in 1908.
A year prior to Cone's achievement, New York Yankees fans witnessed a perfect game from David Wells. On May 17, 1998, Wells tossed 120 pitches, and struck out 11 Minnesota Twins players to become the second Yankees player in history to throw a perfect game.
Today In 1998: New York #Yankees pitcher David Wells hurls a perfect game vs. the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium! #MLB #Baseball #History https://t.co/KxYNGqDogh
"Today in 1998: #Yankees pitcher David Wells hurls a perfect game vs. the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium!" - Baseball by BSmile
Before Wells, fans will need to go all the way back over 35 years before Domingo German was even born. Although largely forgotten to history, the 1956 perfect game was likely the most momentous in Yankees history.
During Game 5 of the 1956 World Series between the Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, 27-year old Don Larson threw 97 pitches, striking out seven to achieve the first-ever perfect game in World Series history, a record that nobody else has been able to touch until this day.
In addition to German's performance, the Yankees put up 11 runs to win the game. Their run total marks the highest ever scored for a team behind their pitcher during a perfect game, breaking the record of ten runs scored by the San Francisco Giants during Matt Cain's 2012 perfect game.
Domingo German stays true to a culture of pitching excellence
Of the twenty-four perfect games in modern MLB history, the New York Yankees have captured four of them, giving them more titles than any other team. With German becoming the latest name to put his name on the exclusive list, he is staying true to a tradition of excellence.