What are the most recent perfect games in Phillies history?

In baseball, being able to no-hit a team is already a tremendous accomplishment, whether achieved by just one pitcher or a collection of pitchers. But when it comes to a perfect game, it ranks way up there as one of the rarest feats in the game. After all, one has to retire all 27 batters they face in order without a single blemish, not even a measly walk or a hit batter.

The Philadelphia Phillies have had their fair share of no-hitters over their 141-year history. However, have they actually ever had anyone throw a perfect game over that time?

May 29, 2010: Roy Halladay

The pitcher who quickly comes to mind who definitely had the ability to throw a perfect game is none other than the late Roy Halladay.

Acquired by the Phillies from the Toronto Blue Jays during the 2009-10 offseason, every Phillies fan will certainly remember what he did during the 2010 postseason in his first season with the club. That very year, he threw a no-hitter during Game 1 of the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds in his first-ever playoff start.

However, he actually achieved an even bigger feat earlier in the season. On May 29, 2010, against the Florida Marlins, Halladay struck out 11 batters en route to the unthinkable perfect game, the second in team history at the time.

It was perhaps the best way to bounce back from his worst start of the season in his previous start, in which he gave up seven runs (six earned) over just 5 2/3 innings. But as rare as a feat a perfect game may be, it surprisingly came just 20 days after Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden threw a perfect game. It set the record for the shortest time interval between perfect games in MLB history.

So we mentioned that Halladay's perfect game was the second in team history. Who was the first Phillies pitcher to accomplish it?

June 21, 1964: Jim Bunning

Given that the Phillies have existed for almost one and a half centuries, then something that has taken place within the last 60 years should be still considered recent history, no?

In that case, back in 1964, on June 21, Father’s Day, former seven-time All-Star and Cy Young finalist Jim Bunning became the first ever in Phillies history to achieve the feat. Bunning was just in his first year with the club after coming over from the Detroit Tigers. More impressively, it was actually the first perfect game to take place in the National League since way back in 1880.

With the current Phillies having a bonafide starting rotation, it wouldn’t be surprising if one of the pitchers from the present core manages to throw the third perfect game in team history. And when it happens, be sure to be on hand to witness history at its best once again, as it comes only once in a blue moon.