Shohei Ohtani Not With Dodgers For Series Against Rangers
Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani is going on the paternity list as him and his wife, Mamiko, are expecting the birth of their first child in the coming days.
The Dodgers called up outfielder Eddie Rosario as Ohtani’s replacement on the active roster. It was reported earlier on Friday that Rosario was in Arlington with the Dodgers for their series opener against the Texas Rangers.
There is a chance Ohtani could return to the team by the end of this series, according to manager Dave Roberts.
Rosario signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers this spring. He is a career .262 hitter with 169 home runs and 583 RBIs throughout his 11-year Major League career.
The 2021 postseason was Rosario’s best performance, where he was named the NL Championship Series MVP as a member of the Atlanta Braves. He was dubbed a Dodgers nemesis since that performance, helping the Braves knock out L.A. that October.
The outfielder said it was not a difficult decision joining the defending champions this spring.
“The decision is easy,” he told Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain. “I feel great to be in the organization. I know they won a championship last year. They’ve got the best player in the world. I went here to try to make the team.”
Now, Rosario is replacing Ohtani on L.A.’s active roster.
Anticipating birth of first child, Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani won’t play vs. Rangers
ARLINGTON, Texas — Shohei Ohtani has had plenty on milestones moments on the field in the last year.
This weekend, he’s about to have one off of it.
The Dodgers slugger and reigning National League MVP is being placed on the paternity list, manager Dave Roberts announced, in anticipation of the birth of his first child this weekend.
Ohtani stayed back in Los Angeles with his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, according to Roberts, and will be replaced on the roster during the Dodgers series against the Texas Rangers by veteran outfielder Eddie Rosario, who was called up from triple A.
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Ohtani can stay on the paternity for up to three days — which would rule him out until next week’s series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field — but Roberts said it’s possible he could rejoin the team later this weekend in Texas.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Rosario, the Dodgers transferred reliever Edgardo Henriquez to the 60-day injured list.
