The couple are also parents to a daughter, who was born in 2025
Credit: Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Shohei Ohtani missed Friday’s Dodgers game as he and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, await the birth of their second child
- The Dodgers announced Ohtani’s absence on X, but did not place him on the team’s paternity list
- The couple also welcomed a daughter, whose name has never been shared publicly, in 2025
Shohei Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, are going to be parents again!
The MLB star, 31, who is famously private about his personal life, raised concern among fans when he was not included in the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup for their Friday, June 19, game against the Baltimore Orioles. The lineup was released about two hours later than usual, according to MLB.com, without Ohtani, who has been dealing with a minor knee injury recently, being listed.
Credit: Luke Hales/Getty
The team then announced what was going on with the star player on X.
"Shohei Ohtani is away from the team on paternity. He is expected to be back at some point this weekend," the team's statement said.
Shohei Ohtani is away from the team on paternity. He is expected to be back at some point this weekend.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 20, 2026
Three hours before Friday's game began, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters he was working out "some things with some position players" and did not mention Ohtani, reports the Associated Press.
The team has games scheduled for Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21. Ohtani was not placed on MLB's official paternity list, which would have allowed him to take up to three days of paid paternity leave, according to MLB.com.
A league source told The Athletic that the Dodgers will wait until Saturday to determine if the team needs to bring up a player from the minor leagues to temporarily take Ohtani's roster spot.
Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty
Ohtani and Tanaka, 29, announced the arrival of their first child, a "healthy beautiful daughter," in an Instagram post in April 2025. The baby girl's name has never been made public.
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"To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents," he said alongside a photo of a tiny pair of baby feet.
“I would also like to thank the Dodgers organization, my teammates, and the fans for their constant support and kind words of encouragement,” Ohtani continued. “I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to all the medical professionals and everyone who dedicated their support to us, up until this wonderful day."
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