Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani was placed on the paternity list prior to Friday night’s road game against the Texas Rangers.
Ohtani’s wife, Mamiko, is slated to give birth to the couple’s first child.
“He and Mamiko are expecting at some point. That’s all I know,” Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts told reporters. “I don’t know when he’s going to come back and I don’t know when they’re going to have the baby, but obviously they’re together in anticipation.”
Ohtani is allowed to miss three games while on the paternity list. The Dodgers are playing three games against the Rangers and have an off-day Monday before opening a two-game series against the Cubs in Chicago on Tuesday.
Ohtani announced in late December that he and his wife were expecting a child.
Ohtani, 30, is batting .288 with six homers in 20 games this season, but has knocked in just eight runs.
The three-time MVP is in his eighth season, and won his first two MVP awards with the Los Angeles Angels. He joined the Dodgers prior to last season and has 231 career homers in 880 games.
The Dodgers also promoted veteran outfielder Eddie Rosario and right-hander Noah Davis from Triple-A Oklahoma City with Davis recalled to start Friday’s game. Los Angeles also transferred right-hander Edgardo Henriquez (foot) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL to open up a 40-man roster for Rosario.
Rosario, 33, has a .262 career average with 169 homers and 583 RBIs in 1,121 games with the Minnesota Twins (2015-20), Cleveland Guardians (2021), Atlanta Braves (2021-23, 2024) and Washington Nationals (2024). He was batting .339 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 14 games at Oklahoma City.
