Former Diamondbacks catcher Daulton Varsho makes enormous mistake in Game 3 of 2026 World Series

It was a moment that any ballplayer would have nightmares about as Varsho’s routine at-bat turned unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. In the second inning of Game 3, Daulton Varsho believed he had drawn a walk, when the call made from the home plate umpire was a strike. Varsho trotted toward first base, unaware that the count stood at 3–2. Bo Bichette, reading Varsho’s body language, started jogging towards second base, only to be caught in no-man’s land when the pitcher fired to the first baseman to tag out Bichette. What could’ve been an early rally turned into a deflating double play.

Daulton Varsho’s early mistake in Game 3 of the 2025 World Series:

This wasn’t just a mental error; it revealed how high-pressure awareness separates postseason heroes from cautionary tales. Toronto’s dugout knows the stakes, and a single miscue can swing an entire series. Varsho seemed to be mentioning that the crowd noise became a factor in the misunderstanding. Nationally, it’s a reminder that October baseball magnifies every detail, and that mental lapses matter as much as missed pitches. Varsho’s expression said everything as he didn’t make excuses and was in pure shock.

The Diamondbacks traded Daulton Varsho back in December of 2022, and acquired catcher Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. With how Moreno and Gurriel Jr. have become ingrained with the D-Backs fans and clubhouse, the trade definitely goes down as one that helped both sides. Moreno and Gurriel Jr. helped Arizona reach the 2023 World Series and played major parts in their run, which led to contract extensions for both.