Shohei Ohtani out of Dodgers lineup for birth of

Dodgers celebrity Shohei Ohtani was away from the group Friday for the birth of his second youngster.

He was out of the lineup for the sequence opener against the Orioles, but the Dodgers didn’t choose to put him on the paternity checklist, briefly enjoying down a participant instead. The group said it expects Ohtani back at some level this weekend.

Ohtani pitched Wednesday, so he ought to be back with the group effectively before his next flip in the rotation.

With Ohtani out, rookie Ryan Ward served as the designated hitter Friday, batting seventh. And proper fielder Kyle Tucker moved up to the leadoff spot that Ohtani normally occupies.

Entering Friday, Ohtani owned the second-highest OPS (.962) in the National League, among certified hitters. And his 1.47 ERA ranked No. 2 among pitchers who have thrown at least 50 innings, despite giving up seven mixed earned runs in his past two begins.

Ohtani has been pitching through a blister on the center finger of his proper hand. And last week he missed a recreation to handle a bout of inflammation in his left knee, which he thinks could have stemmed from mechanical issues in his pitching supply.

Will Smith to get injection for neck

Catcher Will Smith (stiff neck) will get an injection to handle his neck injury, supervisor Dave Roberts said. Recent imaging got here back “fine,” Roberts said, and didn’t reveal something “really bad.”

Smith said last week, before present process imaging, that he was identified with an “inflamed disk.”

Smith — remaining on the injured checklist past the minimal stint, despite the Dodgers’ initial optimism — shall be sidelined through the weekend, and he could not make the journey to Minnesota on Monday, which kicks off a three-city journey.

Edwin Díaz throwing off mound

Closer Edwin Díaz (elbow surgical procedure) has progressed to throwing off the mound. He threw a 15-pitch bullpen on Friday, all fastballs, at 91-93 mph, Roberts said.

“Really positive day for Edwin,” Roberts said.

When Díaz underwent the process to take away unfastened our bodies from his elbow in late April, the Dodgers eyed a post-All-Star break return. And they gained’t push for an aggressive build-up, with the long-term in thoughts.

Short hops

Left fielder Teoscar Hernández (strained left hamstring) is on monitor to start a minor-league rehab task early next week, Roberts said. … Left-hander Blake Snell (elbow surgical procedure) is progressing in his throwing program after present process a NanoNeedle scope process to take away unfastened our bodies from his elbow in mid-May. He is close to throwing off a mound, Roberts said.