LOS ANGELES -- Two-way star Shohei Ohtani is away from the Dodgers to be with his wife, Mamiko, for the birth of the couple's second child. He was out of the lineup for Friday night's game against the Orioles but was not placed on the paternity list, and the team announced that he is expected back later this weekend.
In Ohtani's absence, right fielder Kyle Tucker moved up to the leadoff spot, and rookie Ryan Ward slotted in at designated hitter. The Dodgers are a man short on the bench because they opted not to make a corresponding move for Ohtani on Friday.
Ohtani is batting .296 with a .963 OPS as a hitter, and he's gone 7-2 with a 1.47 ERA on the mound after his most recent pitching start on Wednesday. The Dodgers' Friday lineup was released about two hours later than usual, prompting some speculation about the status of Ohtani, who recently dealt with inflammation in his left knee and a blister on his right hand. Manager Dave Roberts said the team was not working through any health-related issues with players on the active roster.
Ohtani and his wife welcomed their first child, a daughter, in April 2025.