Few managerial decisions have sparked more controversy this MLB season than the one made by Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough on Sunday. With Eury Pérez carrying a perfect game through seven innings, fans were expecting to witness history. Instead, McCullough made the controversial decision to end his pitcher’s afternoon after just seven flawless frames, setting off a wave of criticism from fans, analysts, and former players. The backlash only intensified when Miami’s bullpen nearly squandered the game by allowing seven earned runs after Pérez exited.

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A Controversial Decision That Divided Baseball

Jul 5, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Eury Perez (39) throws a pitch against the Athletics during the first inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images

For many baseball fans, the argument seemed simple. If a pitcher is throwing a perfect game, he deserves the opportunity to finish it—or at the very least, continue pitching until he allows a baserunner.

Perfect games are among the rarest accomplishments in sports, making McCullough’s decision difficult for many to accept. However, not everyone believes the Marlins made the wrong call.

Rosenthal Adds to Controversy and Defends the Move

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal came to McCullough’s defense, arguing that protecting Pérez’s long-term health outweighed chasing an individual milestone.

Rosenthal pointed to Pérez’s injury history as the biggest factor. The talented right-hander has already dealt with significant health issues during his young career, making workload management a priority for the Marlins.

With Miami playing its best baseball of the season and firmly in the playoff picture, risking another injury for one game simply wasn’t worth it.

The Pitch Count Tells the Story

Jul 5, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Eury Perez (39) throws a pitch against the Athletics during the sixth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images

Rosenthal also highlighted a statistic that many critics overlooked. By the time Pérez completed seven perfect innings, he had already thrown 92 pitches. Throughout his major league career, he had never exceeded 102 pitches in a single outing.

Had the Marlins sent him back out, there was a very real possibility Pérez would have been forced to throw well beyond his career-high pitch count just to complete the perfect game. Given his injury history, that represented a significant gamble.

Thinking About October

While the decision was unpopular, the Marlins weren’t managing for one historic afternoon; they were managing for the remainder of the season. A healthy Eury Pérez gives Miami a chance to continue its remarkable surge and compete down the stretch. Losing him because of an expanded workload in early July would have been a devastating blow to those hopes.

The criticism of McCullough is understandable, especially considering how close Pérez was to history. But as Rosenthal pointed out, managers aren’t paid to chase memorable moments; they’re paid to put their teams in the best position to succeed over a 162-game season.

In the end, preserving one of the franchise’s most valuable pitchers may prove to be far more important than pursuing a perfect game.

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