Yoshinobu Yamamoto had a mini Armando Galarraga moment on Thursday night.
The Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yamamoto was robbed of an immaculate inning during Thursday’s game against the San Diego Padres by home plate umpire Marvin Hudson. Yamamoto was one strike away from completing the feat in the third inning after striking out Bryce Johnson and Martin Maldonado on three pitches each and then getting Fernando Tatis Jr. on an 0-2 count.
With his ninth pitch of the inning, Yamamoto fired a fastball right down the middle of the zone … but Hudson inexplicably ruled the pitch a ball. Take a look at the video.
WHAT IN THE WORLD??
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 20, 2025
This call cost Yoshinobu Yamamoto an Immaculate inning!! pic.twitter.com/9IL5HMv0Nz
That pitch was about as right down Main Street as you could possibly get. One has to wonder if Hudson spent a little too much time in the sauna before Thursday’s game.
MLB Gameday showed just how clear of a strike that pitch from Yamamoto was.
I've never seen a more egregious called ball. The incompetence just cost Yoshinobu Yamamoto an immaculate inning. pic.twitter.com/SfnuzDcWpe
— Klein25 (@Klein25) June 20, 2025
Yamamoto would go on to successfully strike out Tatis just two pitches later. But the damage was already done.
An immaculate inning has only been achieved 118 total times throughout MLB history and just once so far this season (by Miami’s Cal Quantrill on May 18 against Tampa Bay). Yamamoto should have been No. 119 … but got robbed of it by a hilariously incompetent call.
Hudson, 61, has been an MLB umpire since 1998. He has already made headlines before for his inconsistent strike zone, including once during a crucial playoff game.
