The Los Angeles Dodgers are approaching their matchup against the Baltimore Orioles, but Shohei Ohtani will not be making an appearance.
According to the franchise, the 31-year-old Dodgers’ icon is officially away on paternity leave.
He is expected to be back this weekend.
Dodgers Will Be Without Ohtani
GettyShohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers is out on paternity leave
Considering how prolific Ohtani continues to be, losing Ohtani is never ideal.
However, this is an exciting time for the celebrated star.
So far this season, he is logging a 1.47 ERA and 78 strikeouts across 73.2 innings pitched through 12 starts.
His slash line reflects .296/.418/.545 with a glowing .963 OPS and 15 homers through 72 games.
Ohtani has long been the face of Los Angeles, since making his MLB debut with the organization in May 2018.
Simply put, it didn’t take long for him to start garnering attention across the Major Leagues.
He currently has four Silver Slugger Awards listed on his growing resume.
His last award came after his remarkable 2025 campaign, in which the Dodgers won a second consecutive World Series ring.
He wrapped up the regular season with a 2.87 ERA and 62 strikeouts across 47.0 innings of work through 14 starts.
He slashed .282/.392/.622 with a stunning 1.014 OPS, smacking 55 homers along the way through his 158 games.
However, he is still awaiting a Cy Young Award, but at this rate, his time is coming.
In his place, the lineup will look as follows:
RF Kyle Tucker
CF Andy Pages
1B Freddie Freeman
SS Mookie Betts
3B Max Muncy
LF Tommy Edman
DH Ryan Ward
C Dalton Rushing
2B Alex Freeland
Dodgers Right Now
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is out on paternity leave
In true Los Angeles fashion, the Dodgers are, of course, leading Major League Baseball.
They hold an overall record of 48-27.
Chasing after their third consecutive World Series title, the organization will stop at nothing.
The rising Atlanta Braves are trailing Los Angeles in the standings, riding a 46-27 overall record.
The Milwaukee Brewers (45-27) and the New York Yankees (45-28) come in at third and fourth, respectively.
It’s a tight race toward the top of the standings.
Los Angeles is coming off a clean sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays from earlier this week.
Now preparing to face Baltimore for a homestand series on Friday and through the weekend, carrying momentum will be imperative to remain atop the standings.
Following the Dodgers-Orioles three-game series, Los Angeles will hit the road and head to Target Field to face the Minnesota Twins next week.
Dodgers Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline
GettyShohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers continues leading the franchise
With the looming MLB trade deadline scheduled for Aug. 3, ballclubs across the nation are under immense pressure to get their rosters squared away in hopes of reaching postseason contention.
Ohtani has not been a prominent name in the midst of the trade rumor chaos — he appears to be in a solid position at the time of this writing.
However, a select few of his teammates might be on the chopping block.
With Ohtani out of commission for a short time, now is an ideal time for those on the active roster to prove their value.
Capitalizing on such a glaring opportunity could ultimately determine the future status of any given player.
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani News Announced Before Orioles Series