Shohei Ohtani made his return to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup on Sunday for the series finale against the Texas Rangers, coming off the paternity list after the birth of his first child in Southern California.
The 30-year-old two-way star rejoined the team late Saturday night and was placed back in his usual leadoff spot, though he didn’t speak to the media ahead of the game.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed his happiness for Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, who recently welcomed a baby girl. “It’s great to have him back,” Roberts said. “Most importantly, I’m thrilled he and Mamiko have a healthy daughter. Coming back here shows his ability to balance family and baseball.”
Roberts also joked about Ohtani possibly hitting even harder now, referencing the popular phrase “dad strength.” “It’s amazing how hard Shohei hits the ball already, but now that he’s a dad, we might see some 120 mph exit velocities,” he said with a smile.
Ohtani had missed the first two games of the series, which the Dodgers split against the Rangers, both recent World Series champions. Prior to his brief absence, Ohtani had played in all 20 of the Dodgers’ games this season, batting .288 with six homers and scoring 21 runs—just one short of leading the majors.
In a heartfelt message on Instagram, Ohtani thanked his wife, a 28-year-old former professional basketball player, for giving birth to their “healthy, beautiful daughter,” adding, “To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents.”
