Umpire blows the call on Armando Galarraga's perfect game, a breakdown

May 14, 2020 1.7M views 4:39
MLB Oakland Athletics 2020

What Happened

On June 2, 2010, Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga is on the verge of throwing a perfect game against the Cleveland Indians. Going into the bottom of the ninth inning, Galarraga has retired all 26 batters he has faced. The Tigers lead the Indians 3-0 and the crowd at Comerica Park in Detroit is on their feet, eagerly anticipating Galarraga's historic achievement. The first batter of the ninth inning, Cleveland's Jason Donald, grounds the ball to Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who fields it cleanly and throws to Galarraga covering first base. However, umpire Jim Joyce incorrectly calls Donald safe, denying Galarraga the perfect game. Galarraga is visibly stunned, with a look of disbelief on his face, as the crowd reacts in shock and disappointment. Tigers manager Jim Leyland approaches Joyce, hoping the umpire will reconsider the call, but Joyce stands firm, convinced that he made the right decision. Replays clearly show that Galarraga had beaten Donald to the bag and the crowd begins to chant "He's perfect! He's perfect!" in support of the dejected pitcher. Despite the heartbreaking end to his perfect game bid, Galarraga maintains his composure and records the final two outs, completing a one-hit shutout. As he walks off the mound, his teammates surround him, offering their support and congratulations on his remarkable performance. After the game, Galarraga says, "I just say, 'You know what? Close enough.'" Joyce, visibly shaken by his mistake, apologizes to Galarraga, acknowledging that he "just missed the call." The two men embrace and Galarraga forgives Joyce, demonstrating remarkable sportsmanship and grace in the face of a devastating outcome. The following day, MLB commissioner Bud Selig declines to reverse the call, stating that "the rules do not allow for the perfection of a game after the fact." However, many fans, players and analysts argue that Galarraga should be credited with a perfect game, as he clearly accomplished the feat on the field. In the years that follow, Galarraga's near-perfect game becomes a symbol of the ongoing debate over the use of instant replay in baseball and the need for greater accountability among umpires.

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I'm sure a lot of you already know the

ending of Armando Galarraga is perfect

game but let's see how he got there

after two years of breaking camp with

the team and being starter he does not