There’s no such thing as paternity leave for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani — he still has homers to hit.
Ohtani, 30, hit his first home run since becoming a dad as the Dodgers took on the Miami Marlins on Tuesday, April 29, helping his team secure an overwhelming 15-2 win.
“It was a good home run to get back on the board for this game,” Ohtani said through his interpreter after the game. “I haven’t hit one since being a father, so it’s a really nice one to be able to do that.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also addressed the star player’s big hit, noting that it was “Dad Strength” that helped Ohtani out in the batter’s box.
“Now that he’s a father, we might see some 120 mph exit velocities off the bat,” Roberts, 52, previously told reporters. On Tuesday night, Roberts acknowledged that Ohtani’s home run “was a big tone-setter” for the team as a whole.
Ohtani and wife Mamiko Tanaka welcomed their first child, a daughter, earlier this month.
“I am so grateful to my loving wife who gave birth to our healthy beautiful daughter,” Ohtani announced in an Instagram statement on April 19. “To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents.”
He continued: “I would also like to thank the Dodgers organization, my teammates and the fans for their constant support and kind words of encouragement. 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.”
Prior to becoming a father, Ohtani kept his personal life on the more private side. The MLB star revealed in February 2024 that he had walked down the wedding aisle and was now married, but did not share his wife’s identity until a month later.
The couple made their red carpet debute at the Dodgers Foundation Blue Diamond Gala in May 2024 and announced in December that they were expecting their first baby together.
Following Tuesday’s game, Ohtani also said there’s been “a little change in the routine” since becoming a dad. He also offered an update on what fatherhood has looked like for him so far.
“Just being here at home is nice to be able to spend time, but on the road, it’s going to be a little bit of a challenge since I won’t be here,” he admitted to reporters. “I’m just grateful for the safe delivery. I’m glad that even though I couldn’t sleep as much as I wanted to, it’s a good kind of not-getting-enough-sleep situation.”
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