The great talent as a baseball player of Shohei Ohtani is undeniable, proof of which is that last season, the Japanese player became the first player in MLB history to achieve a 50-homer, 50-stolen base campaign.
But will Sho Time and his wife Mamiko Tanaka’s welcome of their first baby give the slugger the ‘dad strength’ boost?
Dave Roberts hopes that this is the case, as he believes that “dad strength is real”. On Sunday morning, the Dodgers manager joked about it, saying that now that Ohtani is a father “maybe we’ll see 120 mph exit velocities right off the bat”.
The Los Angeles Times indicates that the so-called dad strength theory refers to the gains in physical strength and endurance that some new fathers apparently experience when entering fatherhood.
However, in his first game after the birth of his daughter, that strength has not yet been reflected in the Japanese superstar, as in the Dodgers’ 1-0 victory over the Rangers on Sunday, Ohtani only received a walk and went hitless in three other at-bats. In addition, his maximum exit velocity was only 82 mph.
“After having two days off, I think today he just got a little anxious,” Roberts said of Sho Time’s performance.
And about ‘dad strength’, Roberts noted that it is the renewed perspective that parenthood provides that generates the greatest transformation in players.
“Some of the attributes you acquire from being a parent carry over into the baseball field (…) Not worrying about the details. Understanding what’s more important. I’ve seen our players evolve in their perspective on life and baseball,” he said.
In addition, he highlighted the way the batter was able to balance his personal life and work this weekend.
“The fact that she made sure the baby was healthy and came back here, and to be part of this, certainly shows her ability to balance life and work.”
“It’s good to have him back. And most importantly, I’m glad he and Mamiko have a healthy baby girl,” Roberts added.
The ‘dad strength’ in some baseball players
The Los Angeles Times recalls some cases where ‘dad strength’ seems to have been reflected in some players.
The most notable case might be when Angels slugger Mike Trout hit six home runs in his first eight games after debuting as a dad in 2020.
Even the MLB website records so-called “paternity leave home runs”, listing the 26 players who, since 2011, have hit home runs in their first game back from paternity leave
Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies has done it twice.
For his part, third baseman Max Muncy commented that after his daughter Sophie was born in July 2021, he received votes for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award at the end of what became the best season of his career.
Clayton Kershaw, who is a father of four, said about ‘dad strength’:
“I think you just have more energy (…) It’s just needed. Now I don’t feel the need to sit down anymore. I’m just ready to go, always,” he said.
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