Shohei Ohtani is Missing Los Angeles Dodgers Game on Friday For Special Reason

Ohtani, the reigning National League MVP, won't be with the Dodgers when they play the Texas Rangers for the best of reasons.

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) looks on from the dugout in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on April 16. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is not with the team on Friday for their series opener against the Texas Rangers.

Per manager Dave Roberts, he's gone on paternity leave. He and his wife, Mamiko, are expecting their first child.

Shohei Ohtani has been placed on paternity list, per Dave Roberts.

He's currently with his wife, Mamiko, for the expected birth of their first child. pic.twitter.com/SHV08HUuiG

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) April 18, 2025

Well that's certainly the best reason to miss a game against a first-place opponent! Ohtani will add this child to his family, alongside Decoy, everyone's favorite pup. Players can miss up to three days for paternity leave.

Ohtani, 30, is the reigning National League MVP. He made baseball history in 2024, hitting 54 homers and stealing 59 bases, becoming the first player ever to go 50/50. He's off to another excellent start this year, hitting .288 with a .380 on-base percentage. He's got six homers and eight RBIs to go along with five stolen bases. Lifetime, he's a .282 hitter with 231 homers.

He's a three-time MVP in all and is one of just two players (Frank Robinson) to win the MVP Award in both leagues. Ohtani is also a four-time All-Star and a three-time Silver Slugger. He won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2018 and helped the Dodgers win the World Series in 2024.

His $700 million contract is the second-biggest in baseball history behind only Juan Soto ($765 million, Mets).

The Dodgers will take on the Rangers in Texas at 8:05 p.m. ET. Jacob deGrom will pitch for Texas, meaning we will be deprived of a deGrom vs. Ohtani matchup.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch for LA. He's gone 2-1 in the early going with a 1.23 ERA.

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