Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani wasn't in the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the Baltimore Orioles. The team later announced that Ohtani is "away from the team on paternity" and is expected to be back later this weekend following the birth of his second child.

The news came as a surprise. Just three hours before the game, for which Ohtani was at Dodger Stadium, manager Dave Roberts told reporters he was still working out “some things with some position players.” He did not say a word about Ohtani or a baby.

The Dodgers chose not to place Ohtani on the formal paternity list for Friday’s opener and decided to play with a man short. A league source told The Athletic that the Dodgers will wait until Saturday to decide if the team needs to bring up a player from the minor leagues to temporarily take Ohtani's roster spot.

Per AP News, Roberts said that he "very recently" found out that Ohtani was going to be a father again and that he wanted to protect his privacy.

This will be the second child for Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, a 29-year-old former basketball pro. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in April 2025.

Ohtani announced the birth of their daughter in a post that thanked his wife, the Dodgers, teammates, fans, and medical staff. The baby’s name wasn't made public.

"I am so grateful to my loving wife who gave birth to our healthy beautiful daughter," Ohtani wrote at the time, sharing a photo of his daughter’s tiny feet alongside Decoy, their beloved pet dog.

"To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents. I would also like to thank the Dodgers organization, my teammates, and the fans for their constant support and kind words of encouragement," he further added, also thanking the medical staff who assisted them throughout the pregnancy.

MLB is witnessing another huge Ohtani season

Entering the series against the Baltimore Orioles, the 4x MVP is once again putting up video-game numbers in 2026.

As a hitter, Shohei Ohtani is slashing .296/.418/.545 with 15 home runs, 42 RBIs, and six stolen bases. His .963 OPS ranks second in the National League, trailing only Juan Soto (0.980 OPS).

As a pitcher, he has a 7-2 record with a 1.47 ERA over 73.2 innings in his 12 starts so far this season. Among all pitchers with at least 70 innings, his ERA is the second-lowest in baseball, trailing only Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers (1.45 ERA).

However, this spectacular run has required Ohtani to play through some notable physical pain. He had been working through left knee inflammation and a bloody blister on his right hand. The Dodgers have to manage those little pains carefully.

When asked about Ohtani’s sore left knee on Friday, Roberts replied (per AP):

“Just assuming that after the off day, he's in a good spot.”

Roberts said the knee issue was something the club was watching closely, while Ohtani added the soreness may have come from poor pitching mechanics in his June 10 start in Pittsburgh.

In Ohtani’s absence, the Dodgers moved Kyle Tucker into the leadoff spot and Ryan Ward to the DH role.

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Written by

Md Saife Fida

Edited by

Yash Kotak