The absence of Shohei Ohtani from the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup on Friday raised eyebrows among fans. The organization only reported that the Japanese star was “away from the team due to paternity,” without offering further details. A day later, the player himself clarified the reason through his social networks: he and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, welcomed their second child.

The news was announced through a post on Instagram. In it, Ohtani shared a photograph in which the newborn's hands and feet can be seen wrapped in a blue blanket. A message signed by the couple appeared next to the image.

"We are once again full of joy to live this wonderful day in our lives together. Thank you for being born safe and healthy," expressed Ohtani and Tanaka. The message also included a thank you to those who have supported them.

The image also showed a small stuffed animal of Decoy, the Japanese baseball player's popular dog, placed between the baby's arms. The detail caught the attention of many followers of the player, who usually shares very little content related to his family life.

Although the couple did not confirm the sex of the newborn, the blue blanket present in the photograph led many fans to speculate that it could be a boy. If confirmed, it would be the second child in the family and the first boy, since their daughter was born in April 2025.

Ohtani's private life is once again under guard

The arrival of the new member of the family coincided with an unusual situation for the Dodgers. Friday's lineup announcement came later than usual, and Ohtani's absence raised questions among fans and the media.

Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged that he learned the news just moments before. As he explained, he found out “very recently” that the player would become a father again.

The organization hopes that the Japanese will rejoin the team during the weekend, when the Dodgers continue their series against the Baltimore Orioles. Typically, Major League players can miss between one and three games when they are included on the paternity list, although on this occasion Ohtani did not officially appear on that list.

The announcement also once again revealed the reserved profile he has maintained for years. Ohtani has never publicly revealed her daughter's name and in the few family photos she shares she avoids showing her face.

That same criterion has marked much of his personal life. When he announced his marriage in 2024, he surprised the baseball world because no one publicly knew that he was in a romantic relationship. Initially he only reported that he had married a Japanese woman and avoided offering further details.

Over time it was learned that Mamiko Tanaka had been a professional basketball player. Since then, both have maintained privacy as a constant, a stance that seems to continue now with the arrival of their second child.