Overview
A perfect game is recorded when a pitcher retires all 27 batters without allowing any baserunner - no hits, walks, hit-by-pitches, or errors. NPB has seen 16 perfect games as of 2024, with the first achieved by Hideo Fujimoto (Yomiuri) in 1950. Most recently, Roki Sasaki (Lotte) accomplished the feat on April 10, 2022, ending a 28-year drought and becoming the youngest pitcher to do so at 20 years and 5 months. Sasaki also set a new NPB record with 13 consecutive strikeouts during the game, finishing with 19 total strikeouts - the most ever in a perfect game. The previous perfect game had been thrown by Hiromi Makihara (Yomiuri) in 1994. A perfect game requires not only dominant pitching but also flawless defensive support and favorable umpire calls, making it one of baseball's rarest and most celebrated achievements.