Remembering the near-perfect game of Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga in 2010
Let’s look back at former Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga’s near-perfect game on June 2, 2010 at Comerica Park.
A new, in-depth examination of Armando Galarraga’s near-perfect game in 2010 takes place Sunday at the Detroit Tigers.
And although a Monmouth University law class has called on MLB and Commissioner Rob Manfred to make an official change and award Galarraga a perfect game, Manfred has not changed his stance on the matter.
ESPN released a 50-minute documentary called “28 Outs – An Imperfect Story” about Galarraga’s perfect game, which was called due to an infamous miscall by first base umpire Jim Joyce in the June 2010 game against Cleveland at Comerica Park that should have been the last out.
The documentary premieres Sunday at 4 p.m. on ESPN and features the Tigers’ scheduled game against the New York Yankees at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and can be streamed on ESPN+.
Citing former Commissioner Bud Selig, Manfred said in the film that he could not interfere because doing so would open a “Pandora’s box” regarding the assessment of game decisions.
The film takes an in-depth look at the game and includes interviews with all of the key figures of the time and the Tigers era, including Galarraga, Joyce, recent Hall of Fame inductee Jim Leyland, former GM Dave Dombrowski, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Austin Jackson. It is also designed to question whether MLB should retroactively award Galarraga the perfect game based on historical precedent and the introduction of replay reviews since the 28-out perfect game.
READ MORE: The missed call with the Detroit Tigers still haunts Jim Joyce, but he has learned to forgive himself
It examines the game from the perspective of a Monmouth, New Jersey law class that used the game as a precedent to argue that MLB has made retroactive changes to the history books before, so Commissioner Rob Manfred could do the same in this case. There is evidence to support this, given the clear video and the current implementation of video review.
The class eventually requested that Galarraga be awarded a perfect game, but the league refused.
“Our position on this was expressed by my predecessor (Selig),” Manfred said in the documentary while reading his response to Monmouth students. “As much as he or I would like to change what happened, reversing the true historical record of what happened on the field would open a Pandora’s box of problems from the history of the game, where past and future mistakes would be constantly subject to scrutiny and challenge.”
Manfred said he personally believes Galarraga pitched a perfect game and understands the pressure to include him on the exclusive list – only 24 pitchers have pitched a perfect game in baseball’s long history – but his opinion does not take precedence over precedent.
“I believe that,” Manfred said. “But I don’t think my personal opinion on whether he deserved a perfect game that day dictates a different outcome than what Commissioner Selig thought was appropriate.”
Joyce, the main culprit, who immediately expressed regret for the botched decision and has since developed a relationship with Galarraga, disagreed with the commissioner, saying that a human error was easily corrected.
“Honestly, it would be one of the easiest things in the world,” Joyce said. “I’m all for it.”
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Galarraga, however, has made his peace with the final decision because the moment brought him to this point and it is still a moment in baseball history, even if it comes with an asterisk.
“I don’t regret anything that happened,” Galarraga said. “The past brings you to this point. It’s a process. I wouldn’t change anything.”
Nevertheless, he would like to experience it again sometime in his life.
“Yes, 100%,” Galarraga said. “And if they do it, they’ll do it while I’m alive, not when I die.”
Galarraga, 42, last pitched for Houston in the Major Leagues in 2012, making five starts with an ERA of 6.75.
He played 100 games (91 starts) from 2007 to 2012 and spent 2008 to 2010 with the Tigers. He finished his MLB career with a record of 26-34 and an ERA of 4.78.
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