Domingo German’s perfect game: 3 incredible stories that make Yankees feat even more special
By Mark Powell
Yankees: Kyle Higashioka joins Yogi Berra in elite company
While Domingo German became the fourth New York Yankee and 24th player overall to throw a perfect game, his catcher made some history of his own. Higashioka caught his second no-hitter as a member of the Yankees, as he was behind the plate for Corey Kluber’s historic effort against the Texas Rangers in 2021.
As FanSided’s Josh Wilson notes, Higashioka’s inclusion in these incredible outings is not just circumstance:
"“Few catchers have caught multiple no-hitters, and Higashioka now joins that list of unsung heroes. The requirements for a no-hitter are intense. A pitcher has to execute nearly flawlessly, but the catcher also needs to be in perfect synchronization with the man on the mound to set up the right pitches…Higashioka has now joined Yankees lore as the only player other than Yogi Berra to catch multiple no-hitters. Berra caught three, two from Allie Reynolds and one from Don Larsen.”"
For a player who often plays second fiddle to Jose Trevino behind the plate for the Yankees, Higgy receives the praise of the New York pitching staff for a reason. After German’s perfect game, Higashioka didn’t nearly give himself enough credit.
“Actually, it was quite different,” Higashioka said. “Honestly, I just felt like I was a passenger for this one. Don’t miss the ball and don’t mess it up. Domingo was definitely driving the ship. He had a plan — we both had a plan, but he had ultimate confidence in his stuff. When he liked a pitch, he was sticking with it.”
While the pitcher receives most the spoils, as he should, Higashioka essentially served as his on-field coach through it all, calling his own perfect game of sorts.