Yoshinobu Yamamoto's Perfect Game Bid Ends On Shocking Mookie Betts Error
Mookie Betts is going to want that one back.
On Saturday, Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto entered the eighth inning against the White Sox with a perfect game. He had been utterly dominant, inducing a lot of soft contact and bedeviling the South Siders all afternoon. L.A. had a commanding 7–0 lead, and all that was left was for the 27-year-old to close out his perfect game.
Yamamoto got Colson Montgomery to line out to first base, then Braden Montgomery grounded out to short. With two outs, Chase Meidroth hit a 1-1 slider right to Mookie Betts at short. It looked like an easy play that would give Yamamoto eight perfect innings. It didn't work out that way.
Betts, a six-time Gold Glover, booted the ball as it took a hop off the heel of his glove and bounced to second baseman Santiago Espinal, who also dropped it. Meidroth beat the play out, and the perfect game was done.
Watch below:
- Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 13, 2026
That's a shocking error by Betts. He's a phenomenal defender at multiple positions and should have absolutely made that play.
Yamamoto, who still had a no-hitter going, got Jacob Gonzalez to ground out to second to end the eighth inning, preserving the no-no. Unfortunately, something about the situation seemed to throw him off.
Tristan Peters led off the ninth inning for the White Sox, and took a 96 mph 1-0 fastball and deposited it in the right field bleachers for a home run. In the course of three batters, the perfect game, no-hitter and shutout were all gone.
Tristan Peters breaks up the no-hitter with a BLAST pic.twitter.com/05mfxum7aQ
- MLB (@MLB) June 13, 2026
Yamamoto retired Edgar Quero on a flyout to center before being taken out of the game to a standing ovation from the fans in Chicago.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Standing Ovation. pic.twitter.com/q0rGah0H2r
- Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 13, 2026
Alex Vesia replaced him and retired the final two batters to end the game.
Yamamoto finished the game allowing one run on one hit and seven strikeouts through 8 1/3 innings. He threw 109 pitches and 74 were for strikes. The victory improved his record on the season to 7–4, and he boasts a 2.52 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP and 80 strikeouts against 15 walks in 85 2/3 innings.
The error from Betts ended the perfect game and, given his defensive prowess, it was surprising. It was his second error of the season, after he only had seven all of last season.
It hasn't been Betts's best season. Through 36 games, he's slashing .196/.261/.350 with six home runs, 17 RBIs, and no stolen bases in two attempts. After struggling through much of the 2025 campaign, it appears he's back in that rut again. He dealt with an oblique strain earlier in the season that may have something to do with his struggles, but his current production is far below what's expected of him.
At the very least, Betts has always been able to lean on his defense. That failed him on Saturday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Yoshinobu Yamamoto's Perfect Game Bid Ends On Shocking Mookie Betts Error.
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This story was originally published June 13, 2026 at 6:36 PM.