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Shohei Ohtani is away from the Dodgers ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Baltimore Orioles for the birth of his second child, per reports from both MLB.com and the Los Angeles Times. He was out of the lineup for the game, with no specific timeline given for his return.

Ohtani, 31, has been the centerpiece of the Dodgers’ lineup since signing his historic 10-year, $700 million contract before the 2024 season. He’s been one of the most productive hitters in baseball over his career — a two-time AL MVP with the Angels before bringing his generational talent to the Dodgers. Since arriving in Los Angeles, he’s continued to be a dominant offensive force while also working his way back to the mound as a pitcher following his UCL surgery. This season, the Dodgers have been managing his left knee inflammation and limiting his two-way workload, but his bat has remained a constant in the middle of the order. His absence, even for a game or two, leaves a significant hole in the lineup.

This is, of course, the kind of absence nobody questions. Family comes first, and the Dodgers have always been supportive of players stepping away for personal milestones like this. Ohtani and his wife welcomed their first child previously, and the expansion of his family is good news on a human level regardless of what’s happening on the field.

From a roster standpoint, the Dodgers should be fine navigating a short absence. The lineup has enough depth to cover for a game or two, even against a competitive Orioles club. Manager Dave Roberts has options to slot into the DH spot or rearrange the order as needed. The bigger picture here is simply that Ohtani has been dealing with that knee issue we’ve already covered, so if the time away also gives him a brief mental and physical reset, that’s a small silver lining.

I’d expect Ohtani back in the lineup quickly — these paternity absences in MLB are typically just a couple of days. We’ll update this when there’s word on his return to the active lineup. Congrats to Shohei and his family.

Source(s): Staff (MLB.com) | Staff (Los Angeles Times) | First reported: June 20, 2026 1:09 AM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers