The Los Angeles Dodgers are squaring off against the Chicago White Sox today, on June 13th.
Entering the eighth inning, starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto was chasing history.
Yamamoto, who has been the Dodgers’ clear ace since the latter half of last season, was a mere six outs away from a perfect game.
Through the first seven innings, the Dodger hurler had not allowed any baserunners and recorded seven strikeouts.
Facing off against a contact-oriented hitter in Chicago’s Chase Meidroth, Yamamoto induced a slow roller to shortstop.
Betts staggered and stepped towards the ball, and as he displayed his glove to field it, it ricocheted off him, towards the Dodgers’ second baseman, resulting in an error.
The moment mirrored Hanley Ramirez’s infamous error that once cost Clayton Kershaw a perfect game in Dodger blue all those years ago, and to this day, the Dodgers are yet to throw another.
Fans are going wild over the play.
Social Media Reacts to Heartbreaking Betts Error
Here’s what people are saying:
Foul Territory: “Yoshinobu Yamamoto loses his perfect game bid in the eighth inning after a Mookie Betts fielding error allows a runner to reach base. (Via: @ChadMoriyama).”
Underdog MLB: “Chase Meidroth reaches on a fielding error by Mookie Betts. First baserunner allowed by Yoshinobu Yamamoto.”
Jomboy Media: “Mookie Betts makes an error to end Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s perfect game bid in the eighth inning.”
@tlew34: “I feel like a no-hitter with one error should hereby be called ‘Mookies.’”
Nelson Espinal: “Oh my god, Mookie Betts just cost Yoshinobu Yamamoto a perfect game. Yamamoto got a soft grounder, and then Betts made an error that cost the Japanese pitcher a chance at history. His no-hitter is still on.”
@mlbelites_: “Yoshinobu Yamamoto was one out away from taking a perfect game into the 9th inning. Then a Mookie Betts error with two outs in the 8th changed everything.”
Sportesnet Stats: “Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s perfect game was broken up with 2 outs in the 8th via Mookie Betts error. He had retired 45 consecutive batters; tied for the 2nd longest streak in MLB history.”
This Day in Chicago Sports: “Betts has brought shame to his whole family with that error!!”
Baseball Is Dead: “Mookie Betts ends Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s bid for perfection with an error.”
Noah Camras: “Yoshinobu Yamamoto has a no-hitter through eight innings. He would have a perfect game if it weren’t for an error by Mookie Betts with two outs in the seventh inning. Yamamoto is at 103 pitches. He had retired 45 consecutive batters, a Dodgers record.”
UPDATE: Yamamoto Exits in the Ninth
After Betts’ costly error, Yamamoto set down the next hitter via a groundout.
He sat down, reset, and entered the game to finish off what fans hoped to be a no-hitter. It would’ve been MLB’s first solo no-hitter of 2026.
Instead, Yamamoto surrendered a solo shot to Chicago’s Tristan Peters and was pulled thereafter. Manager Dave Roberts makes it a point to keep his ace healthy, and the leash was as long as Yamamoto’s bid at history.
Coming up short of history shouldn’t take away from the Dodgers’ ace’s great outing. His spectacular season is a large part of the reason LA sits well above the rest in the West.
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