The Yu Darvish Near Perfect Game meme stems from a legendary yet heartbreaking moment in MLB history on April 2, 2013. Pitching for the Texas Rangers, Yu Darvish was just one out away from a perfect game against the Houston Astros when Marwin Gonzalez hit a single directly through Darvish's legs. The image of Darvish’s reaction—kneeling on the mound in disbelief—has since become a universal symbol for being on the precipice of absolute perfection only to have it snatched away by a cruel twist of fate. In meme culture, it is used to illustrate situations where a nearly flawless streak or plan is ruined at the final hurdle by a minor, annoying obstacle.