Is Shohei Ohtani playing today against Rangers? All you need to know about Dodgers star's availability

Modified Apr 20, 2025 16:40 GMT

MLB: Colorado Rockies at Los Angeles Dodgers - Source: Imagn — Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers - Source: Imagn

Shohei Ohtani is back in the lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they are set to wrap up a three-game series with the Texas Rangers. Ohtani is back in the leadoff spot for the defending World Series champions, just as manager Dave Roberts predicted on Saturday night.

Shohei Ohtani missed the first two games of the series against the Rangers as he was there for the birth of his first child. Dodgers Territory broke the news of his return on social media, and added a fitting caption.

"Shohei Ohtani is back with added dad strength," @LADTerritory captioned the post

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The Dodgers placed Ohtani on paternity leave ahead of the series opener on Friday, calling up Eddie Rosario in his place. Shohei Ohtani could have spent three days away from that team, but informed Roberts that he would be in Texas on Sunday.

Los Angeles split the two games without Ohtani in the lineup, dropping a 4-3 decision on Saturday night. In order to add Ohtani back to the active roster, the Dodgers designated Eddie Rosario for assignment.

It has been a relatively slow start for Ohtani in 2025 as he is hitting just .288 at the plate. The two-way sensation does have six home runs, but has driven in just eight runs.

Shohei Ohtani shares emotional message after welcoming first child

Shohei Ohtani is typically one to keep his private life away from social media, but he has started to open up. On Saturday, Ohtani posted the news of the birth of his baby daughter, and also shared a message that read:

"Welcome to the Ohtani Family! I am so grateful to my loving wife who gave birth to our healthy beautiful daughter. To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents. 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."

That message was shared as part of an Instagram post where Ohtani only shared a photo of his daughter's tiny feet.

The Dodgers are counting on Ohtani to deliver now that he is back in the lineup, but he should contribute in other ways soon. Ohtani will ultimately be back on the mound as a starting pitcher as well.

About the author

Ryan Burks is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda with over 7 years of experience in the field, writing for publications such as Knup Sports. Ryan graduated from Elmhurst College in 2009 with a degree in Communications.

Ryan is a huge Chicago Cubs fan and enjoys their storied history and traditions. His favorite sporting moment was when the Cubs won the 2016 World Series, breaking a championship drought that dated back to 1908.

His favorite player was Ken Griffey Jr., as Ryan grew up during his prime and he was the coolest player in league history. Greg Maddux also deserves a mention, as he was truly amazing on the mound.

When not working or watching sports, Ryan coaches basketball and baseball, loves fishing, and spends time with his family.

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Edited by Rajdeep Barman