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Throwing a perfect game is arguably the most impressive and toughest feat in all of baseball. It has only happened 25 times in the entire course of MLB's history.
For a pitcher to record 27 straight outs, they need to be on top of their game. Most of the time, the guy throwing the perfect game is one of the best pitchers in the league or at least a pitcher known league-wide.
But that isn't always the case.
The magic of sports comes from its unpredictability. The same is true in baseball. Sometimes, a pitcher just has the game of their life leading to one of the most historic moments in MLB.
These five pitchers did exactly that. When no one expected it, they shocked the MLB world with a mystifying perfect game.
Domingo German
Domingo German is the most recent player to throw a perfect game. With Gerrit Cole on the roster, not many expected German to be the New York Yankees pitcher to accomplish such a major feat.
But outside of his teammates, nothing in German's history pointed to perfection in his future. Over his six-year MLB career, German has never had an ERA below 3.61 in seasons with 15+ starts. That number balloons to 4.03 in years with 20+ starts.
Prior to his perfect game – which came against the Oakland Athletics – German had an ERA of 5.10 on the season. His last start saw him give up eight earned runs. However, German was able to turn things around in a hurry. In his first ever career complete game, German made history.
Phillip Humber
Over his eight-year MLB career, Phillip Humber held just a 16-23 record. He has the lowest amount of wins of any pitcher to ever throw a perfect game. However, it only takes one night to be immaculate.
That night came for Humber in April 2012. As a member of the Chicago White Sox, Humber shut down all 27 Seattle Mariners on his way to the record books. While it's a ‘perfect,' accolade to have, Humber didn't offer much else throughout the rest of his career.
Alongside his record, the right-hander held an unspectacular 5.31 ERA and a 272/129 K/BB ratio. His career ended one year after the perfect game with the Houston Astros in 2013.
Humber might be the least heralded player on this list. But with a perfect game under his belt, Humber shouldn't mind too much.
Dallas Braden
Dallas Braden's perfect game is one of the most emotional in history. Coming on Mother Day, Braden's perfecto honored his mother, who had passed away due to cancer.
Braden made sure to put on quite a show against the Tampa Bay Rays, throwing the first complete game of his career. With the Rays holding the best record in the majors that season, Braden had no easy task. Still, he was able to overcome the odds and honor his mother in the most perfect way.
Unfortunately, Braden's MLB career never necessarily improved from that moment. The perfect game came in 2010, where Braden had his career-best 3.50 ERA and 11 wins. However, he pitched just three games in 2011 before calling it a career.
But before he went off in the sunset, Braden left his mark on baseball. His perfect game helped cement his legacy in Athletics history.
Catfish Hunter
Of course, any perfect game is highlighted by the pitcher. Catfish Hunter was certainly impressive during his, as he struck out 11 batters. He was just 22-years-old at the time, making him the youngest player to ever reach perfection. But for all his skills on the mound, that wasn't what made Catfish special.
Playing for the Athletics, Hunter was a star at the dish in a 4-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins. He went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI at the plate. His first RBI was also the A's first run, meaning Hunter scored the winning run for himself in his perfect game.
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels has taken over the baseball world. Hunter wasn't hitting 30+ bombs like the Angels slugger was. However, Hunter's performance gives a look into an era of baseball before Ohtani.
In one of the most dominating perfect games of all time, Hunter got it done as both a pitcher and a hitter. He wanted to make sure his name in the record books was written in red ink.
Lee Richmond
Lee Richmond of the Worcester Worcesters was the first player to ever throw a perfect game. Coming back in the 19th century, long before the World Series era, Richmond's perfect game is perhaps the most chaotic one to date.
Three outs in the contest were made by, “foul bounds.” A player was allowed to catch the ball after it bounced once in foul territory and it would be considered an out. The rule was outlawed three years later. The Worcesters recorded another out when the right fielder threw out the runner at first baseball.
The game was then postponed for seven minutes in the seventh inning after a rain delay. But when the clouds cleared, Richmond finished off the Cleveland Blues and accomplished something never done before in baseball history.
Richmond's perfect game was much different than any other in major league history. But like anyone on this list or anyone who has accomplished the feat, no matter how they got the final out, their performance was perfect.
