Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) tips his hat prior to the first pitch against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Dodgers pitcher robbed of rare accomplishment by horrible call

By Adam Gretz | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 8:12 AM ET

There have only been 118 immaculate innings — striking out the side on nine pitches — in Major League Baseball history, making it one of the rarest accomplishments in the sport. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto thought he threw the 119th on Thursday night against the San Diego Padres in the top of the third inning.

After striking out Bryce Johnson and Martin Maldonado on six pitches, he got ahead of Fernando Tatis Jr. 0-2 and threw what appeared to be a perfect pitch right down the middle.

Everybody thought it was strike three. Everybody except for the one person that mattered the most — home plate umpire Marvin Hudson.

WHAT IN THE WORLD??

This call cost Yoshinobu Yamamoto an Immaculate inning!! pic.twitter.com/9IL5HMv0Nz
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 20, 2025

At the end of the day this isn't a huge deal, mostly because Yamamoto ended up striking out Tatis Jr. two pitches later. He still struck out the side on an incredibly efficient 11 pitches.

But what if he didn't? What if Tatis Jr. took the next pitch and hit it 450 feet out of the ballpark? What if it changed the game?

Just because it didn't doesn't mean missed calls like that aren't a problem. With today's technology every pitch is scrutinized and immediately analyzed in great detail, and every time calls like that get obviously missed the call for automated strike zones will get louder.

Adam Gretz

Adam Gretz is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favorite sport -- he is nearly halfway through his goal of seeing a game in every MLB ballpark. Catch him on Twitter @AGretz

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