Armando Antonio Galarraga Barreto (born January 15, 1982) is a

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

n former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

. Galarraga made his

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) debut with the Texas Rangers on September 15, 2007. He was traded to the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

at the end of the 2007 season where he spent three seasons. He then played in MLB for the

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The franchise was established ...

and

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...

. In 2010, Galarraga was one out away from a perfect game when first base umpire

Jim Joyce James Alfred Joyce III (born October 3, 1955) is an American former professional baseball umpire who worked in the American League (AL) from 1987 to 1999 and throughout Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000 to 2016. He wore uniform number 6 whil ...

incorrectly called the runner safe.

Playing career

Texas Rangers

He originally signed as a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

with the

Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...

on October 31, 1998. He was acquired by the Texas Rangers from the

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...

as part of the deal that sent

Alfonso Soriano Alfonso Guilleard Soriano (born January 7, 1976) is a Dominican former professional baseball left fielder and second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, and Chicago Cu ...

to the Nationals in 2005. Galarraga made his Major League debut on September 15, 2007, against the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...

. He entered the game in the eighth inning, and pitched a scoreless inning. He allowed no hits and one base on balls.

Detroit Tigers

2008

On February 5, 2008, Galarraga was traded to the

for Michael Hernandez, an outfielder that had spent the last season playing for the AA

Erie SeaWolves The Erie SeaWolves are an American professional baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They compete in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) as a member of the Eastern League's Southwest Division, serving as the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Ti ...

. As a

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...

call up for the injured

Dontrelle Willis Dontrelle Wayne Willis (born January 12, 1982), nicknamed "the D-Train", is an American former professional baseball pitcher. A left-hander, he played in Major League Baseball for the Miami Marlins, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamo ...

, Galarraga earned his first career

win Win or WIN most likely refers to: * A victory Win, Winning, WIN or Winner may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * '' Win!'', a 2016 American film Literature * ''Win'' (Coben novel), 2021 * WIN (pacifist magazine) * WIN (wrestling ma ...

April 16, 2008, in a 13–2 victory over the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

. On June 13, 2008, Galarraga pitched seven shutout innings in a 5–0 victory over the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

. He finished the 2008 campaign with a 13–7 record, a 3.73

earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...

(ERA), and 126 strikeouts in 178 innings. When batters did hit the ball against him, they only managed a .237

batting average on balls in play In baseball statistics, batting average on balls in play (abbreviated BABIP) is a measurement of how often batted balls result in hits, excluding home runs. It can be expressed as, "when you hit the ball and it’s not a home run, what’s your b ...

, the lowest in the Major Leagues. Galarraga threw sliders 38.9% of the time in 2008, more than any other

starting pitcher In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...

in the majors. After a superb rookie season, Galarraga finished fourth in the balloting for the 2008

American League Rookie of the Year Award American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

2009

On April 10, 2009, Galarraga pitched the home opener at

Comerica Park Comerica Park is a baseball stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It has been the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers since 2000, when the team left Tiger Stadium (Detroit), Tiger Stadium. History Construction Founded in 1894, t ...

. Tigers manager

Jim Leyland James Richard Leyland (born December 15, 1944) is an American former professional baseball player, coach and manager. He serves as a special assistant to the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Leyland led the Florida Marlins to t ...

said Galarraga deserved to pitch Opening Day after having an impressive 2008 season. The Tigers won the game 15–2, which included a grand slam by

Miguel Cabrera José Miguel Cabrera Torres (born April 18, 1983), nicknamed Miggy, is a Venezuelan former professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and designated hitter who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins a ...

. On April 29, prior to a game against the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

, Galarraga received his 2008 Tigers Rookie of the Year award from the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association. Statistically, Galarraga did not approach the success he achieved in the 2008 season. His 2009 ERA was a below average 5.64, and opposing batters hit a high .284 against him.

2010

In seven innings of work in spring training of 2010, Galarraga allowed nine runs, 14 hits and seven walks. That, coupled with his attitude ("They've seen my stuff; they know what I can do", Galarraga said during his ineffective spring training stint), prompted the Tigers to option him to the Tigers Triple-A affiliate Toledo on March 18, 2010. Galarraga was called up to the Tigers in May 2010 and was put into the

starting rotation This is an alphabetical list of selected unofficial and specialized terms, phrases, and other jargon used in baseball, along with their definitions, including illustrative examples for many entries. 0–9 0 :"Oh and ..." See count. 1 ...

. He had an ERA of 4.50 as of June 1. Galarraga was optioned to Toledo on July 6, 2010, but Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski has said he would return on July 20 and start against Texas. On July 19, the Tigers recalled Galarraga. On January 18, 2011, Galarraga was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...

by the Tigers.

"The 28-out perfect game"

On June 2, 2010, Galarraga pitched 8 perfect innings, but the perfect game disappeared on the 27th batter after what was ruled an infield hit. Rookie Jason Donald hit a ground ball to first baseman

, who tossed to Galarraga—who was covering first base—but first base umpire

incorrectly called Donald safe, ending the perfect game and no-hitter bids. Galarraga retired the next batter, completing the one-hitter, though many in the Tiger press preferred to call it "the 28-out perfect game." Galarraga threw 88 pitches, 67 of them for strikes. If he had completed the perfect game (83 pitches), it would have been the lowest number of pitches thrown since

Addie Joss Adrian "Addie" Joss (April 12, 1880 – April 14, 1911), nicknamed "the Human Hairpin", was an American professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Cleveland Bronchos of Major League Baseball, later known as the Naps, between 1902 and 19 ...

's 74 in 1908, and the shortest game since

Sandy Koufax Sanford Koufax (; né Braun; born December 30, 1935), nicknamed "the Left Arm of God", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 195 ...

s perfect game in 1965. It would have been the second perfect game in the Major Leagues in just four days, Philadelphia's

Roy Halladay Harry Leroy Halladay III (May 14, 1977 – November 7, 2017) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies between 1998 and 2013. His nickname, "Doc ...

having thrown his on May 29, and the third in 24 days (

Dallas Braden Dallas Lee Braden (born August 13, 1983) is an American former professional baseball player and television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher from to as a member of the Oakland Athletics. Braden pit ...

Oakland Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is ...

on May 9). Joyce, who later received death threats from Tigers fans, issued a direct apology to Galarraga, saying that the call was incorrect. Galarraga accepted the mistake gracefully, saying later, "Nobody's perfect." Observers pointed to the handling of the situation as an example of good

sportsmanship Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, and with proper consideration for wikt:fairness, fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors. A "sore loser" r ...

on both sides. Galarraga was presented with a "Medal of Reasonableness" for his reasoned response to Joyce's call at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On January 24, 2011, he was traded to the

in exchange for pitchers Kevin Eichhorn and Ryan Robowski. On May 18, 2011, Galarraga was designated for assignment, he cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A

Reno Aces The Reno Aces are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Reno, Nevada, and play their home games at Greater Nevada Field, w ...

on May 20. He elected free agency following the season on September 30.

Baltimore Orioles

On January 30, 2012, Galarraga signed a minor league contract with the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

. He was released on April 5.

Houston Astros

On May 21, 2012, Galarraga signed a minor league contract with the

. He had his contract selected to the major league roster on July 28. He pitched in five games for the Astros between July 28 and August 19, losing four of them. Galarraga was designated for assignment on August 22, he cleared waivers and was released on August 25.

Cincinnati Reds

On January 17, 2013, Galarraga signed a minor league contract with the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

Colorado Rockies

On July 15, 2013, Galarraga was traded to the

Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. Th ...

in exchange for Parker Frazier. He was assigned to the Triple–A

Colorado Springs Sky Sox The Colorado Springs Sky Sox were a Minor League Baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and was the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers (2015–2018), Colorado R ...

. He elected free agency following the season on November 4.

Texas Rangers

On February 3, 2014, Galarraga signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. He was released on March 23.

Chinatrust Brothers

On April 17, 2014, Galarraga signed with the

Chinatrust Brothers The CTBC Brothers () or simply Brothers are a professional baseball team in Taiwan. The team was originally established as an amateur team in 1984 by the Brother Hotel located in Taipei City, and later joined the Chinese Professional Baseball Lea ...

of the

Chinese Professional Baseball League The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL; ) is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989 and played the first season in 1990. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 20 ...

. He pitched 10 games and posted an ERA of 4.47. He was released by the club on July 5, 2014.

Pericos de Puebla

On February 6, 2015, Galarraga signed with the

Pericos de Puebla The Pericos de Puebla (English: Puebla Parrots) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Puebla. Their home ballpark is the Estadio de Béisbol Hermanos Serdán. Established in 1938, the Pericos have won five Mexican League ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

. In 10 starts for Puebla, Galarraga logged a 3–3 record and 3.75 ERA with 26 strikeouts across innings pitched. He was released by the Pericos on June 21. In between, Galarraga played winter ball with the

Leones del Caracas The Caracas Base Ball Club C.A., better known by its commercial name as the Leones del Caracas, is a professional baseball team of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVPB). The owner and sole shareholder of the sports club is Ricardo C ...

club of the Venezuelan League in parts of seven seasons spanning 2009–2014. Galarraga retired from professional baseball in December 2015.

Personal life

Armando and his wife Christin met when he was a minor league player for the

and she was a strength and conditioning coach for the team. The couple had two wedding ceremonies: one in

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

on January 19, 2008, and the other in

on January 28.

References

External links

, o
Retrosheet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Galarraga, Armando 1982 births Living people Arizona Diamondbacks players Arizona League Rangers players Bakersfield Blaze players Brother Elephants players Colorado Springs Sky Sox players Detroit Tigers players Frisco RoughRiders players Gulf Coast Expos players Harrisburg Senators players Houston Astros players Leones del Caracas players Lexington Legends players Louisville Bats players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball players from Venezuela 21st-century Venezuelan sportsmen Mexican League baseball pitchers Oklahoma City RedHawks players Oklahoma RedHawks players Baseball players from Cumaná Pericos de Puebla players Potomac Nationals players Reno Aces players Savannah Sand Gnats players Spokane Indians players Baseball players from Caracas Texas Rangers players Toledo Mud Hens players Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in Mexico Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in Taiwan Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States World Baseball Classic players of Venezuela 2009 World Baseball Classic players

Playing career

Texas Rangers

Detroit Tigers

2008

2009

2010

"The 28-out perfect game"

Arizona Diamondbacks

Baltimore Orioles

Houston Astros

Cincinnati Reds

Colorado Rockies

Texas Rangers

Chinatrust Brothers

Pericos de Puebla

Personal life

See also

References

External links