The Dodgers ace came within six outs of a perfect game and three outs of a no-hitter before history slipped away in dramatic fashion.
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| Image Source: Google | Image By: Yahoo Sports |
For eight innings, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was untouchable.
The Los Angeles Dodgers star delivered one of the most dominant pitching performances of the 2026 MLB season, carrying a perfect game deep into the contest before a defensive error by Mookie Betts ended his bid for perfection. As if that wasn't heartbreaking enough, Yamamoto then lost the no-hitter in the ninth inning, falling just three outs short of baseball immortality.
Despite the disappointment, the outing further cemented Yamamoto's status as one of the game's elite pitchers.
And it may have been the best performance of his MLB career.
Yamamoto Dominates From the First Pitch
From the moment he stepped onto the mound, Yamamoto looked locked in.
The Dodgers right-hander carved through the opposing lineup with precision, mixing his devastating splitter, fastball, and breaking pitches to keep hitters completely off balance. Through seven innings, no batter had reached base, and the possibility of a perfect game began to feel increasingly realistic.
The deeper the game went, the more tension built.
Every out brought Yamamoto closer to joining one of the most exclusive clubs in baseball history.
Few pitchers ever get that close.
Mookie Betts Error Ends Perfect Game Bid
The turning point came in the eighth inning.
A defensive miscue by Mookie Betts allowed a batter to reach base, ending Yamamoto's perfect game and instantly changing the atmosphere inside the stadium. Instead of chasing perfection, the Dodgers ace suddenly found himself focused on preserving the no-hitter.
The error was particularly painful because it came without Yamamoto allowing a hit.
From an opinion standpoint, those are often the toughest moments for pitchers to process. Losing a perfect game due to a defensive mistake rather than a hit can feel especially cruel, particularly after such a dominant performance.
Still, Yamamoto remained composed and continued attacking hitters.
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| Image Source: Google | Image By: MLB |
The No-Hitter Slips Away in the Ninth
Unfortunately for the Dodgers star, the drama wasn't finished.
After taking the no-hitter into the ninth inning, Yamamoto finally surrendered a hit, ending another historic pursuit just three outs from completion. The crowd's anticipation quickly turned into appreciation as fans recognized the magnitude of what they had witnessed.
No-hitters are among the rarest achievements in baseball.
Taking one into the ninth inning is an accomplishment in itself.
Even without completing the feat, Yamamoto delivered a performance that will be remembered long after the box score fades.
Why This Start Matters for the Dodgers
The outing reinforced what the Dodgers already knew.
Yamamoto has become one of the most important pitchers in baseball.
Since arriving in Major League Baseball, expectations have followed him everywhere. The Japanese superstar entered the league with immense hype, and performances like this explain why. He possesses the ability to dominate games against any lineup in the sport.
As the Dodgers continue their pursuit of another World Series championship, having a pitcher capable of producing performances at this level changes everything.
Championship teams are built around stars.
Yamamoto continues proving he is one.
A Bittersweet Night for Baseball Fans
While fans love seeing history made, they also appreciate greatness even when it falls short.
Yamamoto's near-perfect masterpiece was a reminder of how difficult perfect games and no-hitters truly are. One defensive error and one ninth-inning hit were all that separated him from a place in baseball history.
That's how thin the margin can be.
Yamamoto's Perfect Game comes to an end on an error from Mookie Betts pic.twitter.com/ZbQq5Vo96n
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 13, 2026
Looking Ahead
The box score won't show a perfect game or a no-hitter.
What it will show is another dominant performance from one of MLB's premier pitchers.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto came agonizingly close to making history, losing a perfect game on a Mookie Betts error before seeing his no-hit bid disappear in the ninth inning.
It wasn't a historic result.
But it was undoubtedly a historic performance.
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