During bids for no-hitters and perfect games, baseball superstition typically dictates that the pitcher must not be disturbed, with teammates and coaches keeping their distance. However, in a break from tradition, Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake sat beside Domingo Germán and chatted after he completed a seventh perfect inning at the Oakland Coliseum. This unconventional move did not affect Germán, who went on to retire the next six hitters in order, throwing the 24th perfect game in Major League Baseball history in a dominant 11-0 win.
In an interview with the YES Network after the game, Germán expressed his excitement, stating in Spanish, “So exciting. When you think about something very unique in baseball. Not many people have an opportunity to pitch a perfect game and accomplish something like this.”
It had been nearly 11 years since the most recent perfect game, thrown by Félix Hernández of the Seattle Mariners in 2012. Germán, who entered the game with a 5.10 E.R.A. this season, remained flawless despite several delays, including his team scoring six runs in the fifth inning, the opposing pitcher leaving with an injury in the seventh, and the Yankees adding more runs in the ninth. Germán stayed focused, even when a ball briefly interrupted his matchup with Jonah Bride in the eighth inning. The modest crowd of 12,479 in Oakland showed their support as Germán took the mound for the ninth inning, chanting “Let’s Go, Yankees” as he faced the first batter.
Germán completed the perfect game by inducing a groundout from Esteury Ruiz, an Oakland outfielder. This achievement allowed him to join the exclusive club of perfect game pitchers, including his childhood “idol” Félix Hernández. Germán recorded nine of the 27 outs via strikeouts, just falling short of 100 pitches.
Reflecting on the experience, Germán described the last inning as “very different,” feeling an unprecedented amount of pressure. However, he also found it incredibly rewarding. He dedicated his performance to his recently deceased uncle, who brought joy to their family and was with him in spirit throughout the game. Afterward, Germán celebrated with his teammates, getting doused with a cooler during his television interview and posing for photos with the game ball and his catcher, Kyle Higashioka.
The day after his perfect game, Germán mentioned in an in-game television interview that reporters had visited his hometown in the Dominican Republic to interview his mother, and he expressed his pride in representing his country through his achievement.
Germán’s perfect game marked the fourth in Yankees history, with previous ones accomplished by Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series, David Wells in 1998, and David Cone in 1999. It also became the second Yankees no-hitter in the past three seasons, following Corey Kluber’s performance in 2021 against the Texas Rangers. Kyle Higashioka was behind the plate for both games.
Throughout this season, Germán has relied heavily on his curveball, throwing it around 40% of the time. Higashioka praised Germán’s use of the curveball in the perfect game, as it played a crucial role in recording 20 of the 27 outs.
Germán’s flawless performance stands out in an otherwise uneven season for him. He faced a 10-game suspension in May for using foreign substances on the ball, and although he has had strong outings, such as allowing only one run in 8 ⅓ innings against Cleveland, his past two starts were disappointing, giving up 15 earned runs in just 5 ⅓ innings against Boston and Seattle.
However, Germán’s ability to overcome challenges is nothing new. Throughout his six-plus years in the majors, he has experienced both success and failure, dealt with injuries, and served an 81-game suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy.
But on that one remarkable night in Oakland, Germán held everything together. He revealed that he had been thinking about perfection throughout the game, and ultimately, no one could touch him.
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