Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo came close to achieving a perfect game and a no-hitter during a game against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night, but fell short in the seventh inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a solo home run. Woo had retired the first 19 batters he faced, showcasing strong performance and control.
Woo predominantly relied on his fastball, particularly targeting the top of the strike zone, to stifle the Padres’ batters leading up to the seventh inning. The Padres’ closest call before Tatis’ home run was a 113 mph line drive by Manny Machado in the fifth inning, which was skillfully caught by Randy Arozarena with a diving play in left field.
Third baseman Josh Rojas contributed to the Mariners’ strong defensive display by making a noteworthy play in the second inning when he fielded a slow grounder from Xander Bogaerts and successfully threw him out at first base.
Unfortunately for Woo, following Tatis’ homer, Jurickson Profar hit a double and Jake Cronenworth drew a walk with two outs, leading to the end of Woo’s impressive performance on the mound for the night.
Woo, who is in his second season in the major leagues, aimed to become the first pitcher since Domingo Germán of the New York Yankees in 2023 to pitch a perfect game. The most recent perfect game before that feat was achieved by Mariners’ Felix Hernandez in 2012 against the Tampa Bay Rays.