On Saturday, Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani shared the joyful news of the birth of his daughter, celebrating the special moment with his wife, Mamiko. The announcement quickly sparked excitement among baseball fans, who began speculating on the potential benefits of “dad strength”—the term used to describe the boost in physical power that new fathers often experience.
Even Dodgers manager Dave Roberts weighed in on the topic, humorously suggesting that Ohtani might see a significant increase in his hitting power now that he’s a father. Roberts, who believes in the existence of “dad strength,” joked about the possibility of Ohtani hitting the ball even harder.
“Dad strength is real,” Roberts told MLB.com on Sunday. “It’s amazing how hard Shohei hits the ball now. So now that he is a father, we might see some 120 [mph] exit velocity hits off the bat. Something unprecedented.”
This remark comes as no surprise, given Ohtani’s impressive hitting abilities. Over the past four seasons, he has consistently recorded some of the hardest-hit baseballs in the game, with his highest recorded exit velocity reaching 119.2 mph in a game last April.
Could fatherhood bring even more powerful hits from Ohtani? He went 0-for-3 in the Dodgers’ 1–0 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday, his first game back after a two-game absence while on the paternity list. However, fans will have to wait and see if a new version of Ohtani steps to the plate on Tuesday when the Dodgers face off against the Chicago Cubs in a two-game series.
