Yamamoto's Perfect Bid
Los Angeles Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto Maintains Perfect Game Through Seven Innings
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto is perfect through seven innings against the Chicago White Sox, retiring all 21 batters he has faced. The 27-year-old has struck out seven, thrown 89 pitches, and holds a 5-0 lead at Guaranteed Rate Field, according to Associated Press.
The performance is historically significant beyond just one game. By retiring 21 straight batters today, Yamamoto has now retired 43 consecutive batters across two starts, tying an all-time MLB record set by Yusmeiro Petit in 2014, according to theScore.
Yamamoto Ties MLB Record Spanning Two Starts
Yamamoto's perfect game bid did not begin today. In his previous start on June 6, he retired the final 22 batters he faced against the Angels. Combined with today's 21, he has now retired 43 straight hitters, tying Petit's all-time record, theScore reported. Every additional out he records will set a new all-time MLB mark.
Entering this game, Yamamoto had posted a 0.99 ERA over his last four starts. His season line stands at a 2.68 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 77.1 innings, according to MLB.com. His pitch mix has shifted in 2026, with his splitter now accounting for 27% of pitches, up sharply from prior seasons.
Max Muncy's Two Home Runs Fuel Run Support
Yamamoto got big help from his offense early. Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff solo home run in the first inning, his 14th of the season. Max Muncy followed with a two-run blast, his 15th, giving Yamamoto a 3-0 lead before he threw his first pitch, according to MLB.com.
Muncy struck again in the 8th inning, hitting his 16th home run to push the lead to 7-0. He finished with four RBIs on the day. The run support gave Yamamoto a cushion, though manager Dave Roberts said before the game that Yamamoto "pitches like it's a tie ballgame" regardless of the score, according to Dodgers News.
A Mound Delay and an ABS Challenge Test Yamamoto's Focus
The perfect game bid faced two unusual interruptions. Before the 6th inning, a grounds crew maintenance issue with the pitching rubber forced a brief delay, according to Associated Press. Yamamoto came back out and kept his focus, retiring all three batters in the inning.
In the 7th, White Sox infielder Miguel Vargas used the new Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system to overturn a called strike three. The ABS system, used league-wide in 2026, lets batters dispute pitch calls using electronic tracking. Vargas overturned the call — but then lined out to left field, keeping the perfect game alive, according to Click2Houston.
Historic Bid Puts Yamamoto in Cy Young Conversation
A completed perfect game would be the 25th in MLB history. The last was thrown by Domingo Germán of the Yankees in 2023. In Dodgers history, Sandy Koufax threw the franchise's most famous perfect game in 1965, according to theScore. Yamamoto is now the 2025 World Series MVP and a two-time champion with Los Angeles.
The performance pushes Yamamoto into contention for the National League Cy Young Award, putting him in a near-dead heat with Cristopher Sánchez of the Phillies and Jacob Misiorowski of the Brewers, according to MLB.com. With Tyler Glasnow on the injured list and Ohtani managing knee inflammation, Yamamoto's rise as the Dodgers' clear ace could not come at a better time, according to Las Vegas Sun.
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