The Los Angeles Dodgers had an unfortunate end to their matchup against the Texas Rangers on Saturday.
Texas Rangers Adolis Garcia hit a walk-off home run on a 1-1 count in the bottom of the ninth off of right-handed relief pitcher Kirby Yates to lift the Rangers over the Dodgers in a low scoring, 4-3 victory.
One player that’s been absent for LA and has missed the first two games in the series between the Dodgers and Rangers is designated hitter Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, gave birth to their baby daughter over the Easter weekend.
The former NL MVP and exclusive member of the 50-50 club announced that his wife gave birth to a baby girl on Saturday, April 19.
Now, after getting limited time to spend with his wife and daughter, Ohtani will join his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates again.
Although it was a short leave, the Dodgers announced on X that he will be reinstated from the paternity list and rejoin the team on Sunday.
In the designated hitter’s absence, the Dodgers have went 1-1 against the Texas Rangers.
One of the best players in baseball, Ohtani has been batting in the lead-off position for the Dodgers in 2025. In the 20 games he’s played, he has a batting average of .288, a slugging percentage of .550 and an OPS of .930. He’s also managed to hit for six home runs, eight RBIs, and steal five bases.
A move that was announced on the morning of Easter Sunday, outfielder Eddie Rosario will be designated for assignment after playing in the two games Ohtani has been absent for.
Los Angeles and Texas will be in a game to determine a series winner on Sunday. There is no information on if Ohtani will officially be playing in the series finale.
The Angels scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth, with three of them coming on Jo Adell’s walk-off double. While Kikuchi did not factor into the decision, he was excited to see his club win for the first time in his five starts.
“Finally, a win. I’m so relieved,” said the Japanese lefty, who struck out six while allowing five hits and four walks. “My fastball was working well and I managed to get early outs while using my changeup. It had an effect. When it all comes together, a win will follow.”
