Armando Galarraga, umpire Jim Joyce want MLB to recognize 2010 perfect game
Ten years after the game, Armando Galarraga wants to be recognized as perfect
On June 2, 2010, Galarraga who was then pitching for the Detroit Tigers, was denied a rare perfect game against the Cleveland Indians when umpire Jim Joyce incorrectly called what would have been the 27th out safe at first base. Instead of perfection, Galarraga had to settle for a one-hit shutout, and that moment became one of baseball's most famous blown calls.
Galarraga, who is now retired from professional baseball, believes that it is time for the MLB to officially recognize his achievement.
"I was like, What can I do to have a better finish to the story?" the 38-year-old told The Athletic. "How can Major League Baseball give me the perfect game? Because it was perfect, right?"
"Why not? Why wait for so long? I don't want to die, and then they'll be like, 'You know what, he threw a perfect game.'"
In 2010, the MLB's replay system was only in its early stages and could only be used to review close home run calls. Despite the immediate protests from the Tigers and later from others around baseball, Joyce's call stood as safe.
An emotional Jim Joyce admitted to his mistake postgame, telling reporters that he had "kicked the (crap) out of" the call and "took a perfect game away from that kid." The next day, he personally apologized to Galarraga, who was tasked with delivering the Tigers' lineup card to at home plate, which changed the chorus of boos from the Detroit crowd into an ovation.
Joyce, has since retired from umpiring, still stands with Galarraga and would also like to see his error overturned.
"I agree with him," Joyce told Stavenhagen. "I agree. Because he did it."
Galarraga finished the 2010 season with a 4.49 ERA in 25 appearances with the Tigers and he last pitched in the majors in 2012. He is one of only 13 pitchers since 1908 to have lost a perfect game on the 27th batter.
There have been 23 perfect games in MLB history and none since 2012. In 1991, MLB retroactively changed how it recognizes no-hitters. That decision removed Harvey Haddix's 12 perfect innings in a loss from the official record books.
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MAY 16, 2026
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