how many immaculate innings

There have been 116 immaculate innings recorded in Major League Baseball history as of 2025. An immaculate inning is when a pitcher strikes out three batters on exactly nine pitches—all strikes—with no balls or fouls extending the at-bats. This feat, first accomplished by John Clarkson on June 4, 1889, is a rare display of pitching precision and skill. While it used to be very rare, with only 30 recorded from 1876 to 1988, the frequency of immaculate innings has increased significantly in recent decades. From 1989 to 2009, 30 more occurred, and from 2010 to 2024, there were 55 immaculate innings. For example, the 2022 season alone had seven of them. The rarity lies in the fact that this requires calculated pitching dominance with perfect control in a single inning. Notable pitchers like Sandy Koufax, Chris Sale, and Max Scherzer have thrown immaculate innings three times each. The latest recorded immaculate inning was by Andrew Kittredge on August 6, 2025. Immaculate innings are regarded as a mark of excellence in pitching and are more rare by inning than perfect games by game count.