Two perfect game bids have been shut down by their own coaches in the span of four days. Both times, the teams’ defenses collapsed, putting the games in jeopardy.
Jarred Jones, a young, promising pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, completed six perfect innings before manager Don Kelly pulled him from the game on July 8. Jones, who was recovering from an injury, had only thrown 77 pitches while striking out eight. After he was pulled, the Pirates gave up three earned runs and fell to the Atlanta Braves, 3-0. After the game, Don Kelly said it was a “tough decision.” (RELATED: ‘I’ve Realized That Time Has Come’: Tigers’ Justin Verlander Announces He Will Be Retiring Following 2026 Season)
The Pirates have never thrown a perfect game in franchise history.
Jared Jones jokingly gave his manager the cold shoulder after tossing 6 perfect innings and getting pulled from the game 😂 pic.twitter.com/xr69igSCKi
— js9innings (@js9inningsmedia) July 9, 2026
Only a few days earlier, Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough pulled his pitcher, Eury Perez, with only six outs left. Perez had thrown just 92 pitches, and the Marlins were leading the Athletics 8-0. The bullpen immediately gave up eight runs, and the Marlins barely escaped with an 8-9 win in a game they had firmly in hand.
After McCullough pulled Perez from the game so close to history, fans began voicing their disapproval by chanting “shame” toward the Marlins dugout and manager.
Marlins pulled Eury Perez after seven perfect innings with 92 pitches
Fans loudly chanted “SHAME!” as the bullpen promptly walked the first batter to end the perfect game pic.twitter.com/htXAIU0ac4
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) July 5, 2026
McCullough said after the game that he had a fairly strict 90-pitch count and that it weighed on him to take Perez out.
“He had it really going today. I totally get it. There was a part of my heartstrings pulling at the opportunity to keep him going, but I have to think about Eury, our organization, our team, and what’s best moving forward to give us a chance to continue to win games. So it was more of a calculated decision based on where he was with the pitch count to take him out.” McCullough said after the game.
The decision to pull both pitchers while on the cusp of history has drawn criticism not only from fans but also from MLB legends. A Fox play-by-play commentator said on X, “We are normalizing taking dudes out with perfect games now. Wtf are we doing? 2 in the last week.”
Major League Baseball dates back to 1876, with the first perfect game coming in 1880. Since then, hundreds of thousands of games have been played, and only 24 players have ever thrown a perfect game. Two young players had a chance to add their names to that illustrious list, but their coaches pulled them from the game, fearing injury.