Shohei Ohtani was back in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup for their series finale with the Texas Rangers after missing the previous two games while on the paternity list.
Ohtani remained in Southern California as his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, was on the verge of giving birth to the couple’s first child. Ohtnai announced on Saturday he and Mamiko were excited new parents to a daughter, whose name was not revealed.
The two-way star went 0-for-3 with a walk in his return to the Dodgers lineup on Sunday but manager Dave Roberts thinks Ohtani will be rejuvenated now that he is a father, via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
As a father of two, Dave Roberts is a true believer.
“Dad strength,” he declared Sunday morning, “is real.”
Roberts joked that Ohtani could set some Statcast records with his newfound dad strength:
“Now that he is a father,” Roberts joked, “we might see some 120[-mph] exit velos off the bat.”
Roberts believes players with children benefit in more ways than one on the baseball field:
“Some of the attributes you get from being a dad do translate to the baseball field,” he said. “Not sweating the small stuff. Understanding what’s most important. I have seen our players evolve in how they look at life and baseball.”
Mookie Betts echoed much of Roberts’ sentiment and believes Ohtani is who could prove the myth of gaining strength by becoming a father as being real:
“I’m sure if there is someone that is gonna have it,” teammate Mookie Betts said, “it’s Shohei.”
Ohtani joined Betts, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Will Smith, among others, as Dodgers players with children.
When Ohtani first announced his wife was expecting, Betts joked that the 30-year-old should take advantage of sleeping in before his first child arrives.
Shohei Ohtani finding balance with slide
Ohtani has debuted a new slide this season that involves keeping his left arm up and by his side at all times rather than landing on the dirt.
“As long as the play isn’t too close, then I think I want to slide in a way that will keep me safe,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton.
“But obviously, there will be some plays that are going to be close and I will have to find a way to be able to reach the base. So in that sense, I have to be able to adjust.”
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