Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto was on the cusp of an immaculate inning, which has only been achieved 118 times in MLB history, but it was stolen from him due to a controversial umpiring decision. A call by home plate umpire Marvin Hudson sparked concerns and debates over automated strike zones.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Got His Perfect Inning by Wrong Umpire Decision
In the third inning, Yamamoto was mowing down the Padres with precision. He struck out Bryce Johnson and Martín Maldonado, then brought Fernando Tatis Jr. to an 0-2 count. Yamamoto fired a fastball down the middle at Tatis Jr.; he didn’t swing, and the pitch tracking showed it as a clear strike.
However, Hudson called it Ball 1. Dodgers broadcaster Joe Davis didn’t hold back, saying, “Oh no! Marvin Hudson cost him an immaculate inning!” Analyst Eric Karros piled on, noting, “That wasn’t even borderline…. that was borderline middle-middle.”
Joe Davis: “Here’s the 0-2. It is… OH NO! MARVIN HUDSON COST HIM AN IMMACULATE INNING!”
Eric Karros: “That wasn’t even borderline…. That was borderline middle-middle.”
Joe Davis: “Can we get ABS on loan for the night from Triple-A?… That’s a bummer!” ⚾️👮♂️🎙️ #MLB pic.twitter.com/nqTl1AuS1l
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 20, 2025
The call forced Yamamoto to throw two more pitches, including a curveball called low and a cutter for the strikeout, resulting in an 11-pitch inning instead of the nine-pitch gem. “Can we get ABS on loan for the night from Triple-A?” Davis said jokingly.
Yamamoto’s performance against the Padres included a 0-2 record with an 8.03 ERA and 13 strikeouts across three appearances. On Thursday, he allowed seven hits and three runs, including a solo homer to Xander Bogaerts, over 6 1/3 innings, with five strikeouts and no walks. Despite the loss in the 5-3 defeat, his near-immaculate inning showed off his worth.
The rarity of an immaculate inning, which is three strikeouts on nine pitches, is a huge feat. Only Cal Quantrill achieved one this season, and just three pitchers, including Sandy Koufax, have thrown more than two in their careers. Hudson’s call denied Yamamoto a place in the history books.
A Boiling Match Between Two Rivals
The game’s ninth inning shifted focus to the heated Dodgers-Padres rivalry. Tatis Jr. was hit by a pitch from Dodgers reliever Jack Little, prompting both benches to clear. San Diego’s Robert Suarez then hit Shohei Ohtani, leading to Suarez’s ejection after Ohtani diffused further escalation.
While eight hit-by-pitches across the series won’t let us forget these matches anytime soon, the umpiring blunder only made it much worse. The missed call strengthened calls for robotic umpires, a topic gaining traction as fans and broadcasters grow frustrated with human error.
With the Dodgers now preparing for Ohtani’s second pitching start against the Nationals, the focus shifts to their playoff push.