Domingo German’s perfect game: 3 incredible stories that make Yankees feat even more special

New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German threw a perfect game late on Wednesday night against the lowly Oakland Athletics. Here’s everything you need to know.

Domingo German threw the first major-league perfect game since Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners in 2012. It’s not a feat that comes along often, and German soaked it in.

“So exciting. When you think about something very unique in baseball, you know not many people have an opportunity to pitch a perfect game,” German said. “To accomplish something like this in my career, you know, it’s something that I am going to remember forever, be part of history, so exciting.”

Over the course of what’s been a complicated Yankees season, it has been tough to find highlights like this one, below, with German embracing his teammates after the final out.

“He threw strikes, he pounded the zone, obviously. You don’t not throw strikes when you go nine innings and don’t get a baserunner,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “Overall, offensively, our approach wasn’t great. We didn’t make any adjustments tonight to what he was doing.”

If there were any team destined to be on the opposite end of such a historic moment, it is Oakland. The A’s are moving to Las Vegas, whether it be next season, 2025 or later, and leaving the good fans by the bay behind.

Yankees: Domingo German threw a perfect game for his uncle

German’s uncle passed away just a few short days ago. We so often see performances inspired by grief, and when a historic moment is achieved in that sorrow, it’s tough not to wonder if the divine played some sort of inspirational role. Whether it was German’s grief for his uncle or perhaps just the futility of the Oakland Athletics, the 30-year-old was thinking of his lost loved one after the game.

“Unfortunately, two days ago an uncle of mine passed away and I cried a lot yesterday in the clubhouse,” German said. “I had him with me throughout the whole game. I was thinking about him and it happened. This game is a tribute to him.”