"Would open a Pandora's box of issues" - MLB commissioner Rob Manfred cautions against rewriting history on Armando Galarraga's 28-out perfect game

If anyone has the power and authority to revert any decision in Major League Baseball that is league commissioner Rob Manfred. However, changing a past event is not an easy task, and in Manfred’s words, it could “open a Pandora's box of issues.”

ESPN premiered a 50-minute documentary, titled “28 Outs — An Imperfect Story," on Sunday. It's about former major leaguer and Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga’s infamous perfect game miss against the Cincinnati Reds at Comerica Park in June 2010.

Monmouth University law class made a petition to the league and commissioner Rob Manfred to officially update and award Galarraga his perfect game, which has been due since 2010. However, the league refused the request while Manfred stood by his old words.

“Our position on this manner was expressed by my predecessor (Selig)," Manfred replied to the Monmouth students in the documentary, per ESPN.

"As much as he or I would like to alter what happened, a reversal of the true historical record of what occurred on the field would open a Pandora's box of issues from the history of the game where past and future errors would constantly be vulnerable to scrutiny and disputes."

Armando Galarraga played in the majors for a brief six seasons in which he spent three with the Tigers (2008-10). He neither earned any team trophies nor won any notable personal achievement during his tenure. However, in 2010, he had the opportunity to enshrine himself among only 24 players to ever pitch a perfect game.

The only thing that stood between him and his perfect game was a final out, which, sadly, turned out to be an unfortunate call from the first-base umpire, Jim Joyce. He called the base runner safe at first base, ruining the perfect game for Galarraga.

However, soon after realizing his mistake, Joyce expressed his deep regrets to then-Tigers ace Galarraga and developed a relationship beyond their on-field activities.

“I think it'd be one of the easiest things in the world to do to be honest," Joyce said, via Detroit Free Press. "I'm all for it."

Rob Manfred shares his personal opinion on the controversial perfect game

As much as Rob Manfred wants to fix past mistakes, his actions are bound by his precedent’s decision, making him unable to solve this issue for now.

"I think so, I do," Rob Manfred said of Galarraga's controversial call, via Detroit Free Press. "But I don't think that my personal opinion as to whether he earned a perfect game that day dictates a different outcome than what Commissioner Selig decided was appropriate."

Meanwhile, the victim himself doesn’t hold any ill bearing on the matter. However, he wished to witness his hard work getting recognized for what it's truly worth in his lifetime, not beyond.

"I don't really regret anything that happened," Galarraga said. "That history will bring you to this point. It's a process. I wouldn't change it … And if they do it, do it when I'm alive, not when I'm dying."

Galarraga retired from professional baseball in 2012, at the prime age of 30. He now guides young baseball enthusiasts with his Galarraga Baseball Academy.