MLB on Father's Day: How to Bet on These First-Time Dads on Sunday

Father's Day and MLB go hand-in-hand. It's a sport passed down from generation to generation, father to son for as long as the sport will exist. Not to mention the sons who carry their father's legacy as second-generation big-leaguers such as Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Jackson Holliday and Bo Bichette, just to name a few. Dads get interviewed while their sons hit home runs - the list goes on.

And of course, there's the Dad Strength. Per MLB, in 200+ instances of a player returning to action after being placed on the paternity list, 28 of them have hit a home run in their first game back. Dad Strength is a force we can only hope to comprehend.

This year, there are a number of players who will be celebrating Father's Day as a parent for the first time on Sunday, June 15, including sluggers like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

To have some fun with this feel-good holiday, we've analyzed our MLB Predictions to see just what the data says about betting on some first-time dads this 2025 Father's Day, and as mentioned, some of them are BIG names.

Will these sluggers tap into the Dad Strength? We'll find out.

All of our MLB data comes from our MLB Predictions, Player Prop Projections and Best MLB Bets, all part of our Dimers Pro subscription service. And until tonight at midnight, all users can get a full year of Dimers Pro for 50% off - that's less than $.50 per day for the whole year, not a bad Father's day gift for the betting dads out there!

Which MLB Players Are First-Time Dads this Father's Day?

This may not cover every player, as it might surprise you that there is no official MLB Dad database...the Dadabase?

But we've covered our bases with a couple superstars and a few other players, as well as some honorable mentions that don't officially fit the criteria.

Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers)

The three-time MVP is now a first-time dad after Shohei Ohtani and his wife Mamiko Tanaka welcomed their first child, a baby girl, in April.

Ohtani went on paternity leave and while he didn't display the Dad Strength in his first few games back, he's been back to his usual slugging ways since, with 23 home runs ranking him third in the league.

The Dodgers host the Giants in the series finale on Sunday Night Baseball and Ohtani will face Giants starter Kyle Harrison, who's allowed 12 earned runs, including four homers, in his past six starts.

According to the DimersBOT, Ohtani gets a 22.6% probability to hit a home run, as well as a 36.7% chance of an RBI and 65.7% to pick up a hit. You'll want odds of +340 or better for him to go yard today.

Aaron Judge (Yankees)

How fitting that the two reigning MVPs and home run kings are both first-time dads in 2025.

Aaron Judge and his wife Samantha Bracksieck announced the January birth of their daughter Nora Rose earlier this year.

It's not a question of whether or not Judge can tap into some new Dad Strength, but rather is it possible for him to even be better?

Judge leads MLB in hits (99), batting average (.390) and home runs (26), as well as OPS and second in RBI.

Can the best be better when the Yankees close out their series vs. the Red Sox?

The best is projected for a 24.2% probability to hit a home run in Fenway Park, the highest of the day, along with 63.7% for a hit and 42.2% to drive in a run. Odds of +310 would be our fair price for a Judge homer.

Aaron Judge will face the rival Red Sox on his first Father's Day as a parent this Sunday.

Francisco Alvarez (Mets)

The newest Dad of them all, Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez and his wife Nahomi welcomed their newborn daughter this week!

Alvarez hit a 450-foot blast in his final game before hitting the paternity list for a few games. He's back in the lineup and yet to put his new Dad Strength on display, picking up one hit and a pair of walks in his first two games back.

When the Mets host Tampa Bay, he gets a matchup with the Rays' Shane Baz, who's allowed 13 homes runs this year, 9 of them to righties.

Alvarez projects with a 14.2% chance to hit a home run today, and is 58.8% to get a hit, and 30.9% for an RBI. Fair odds would be +600 for Alvarez, while you can get him at +630 on FanDuel this morning.

Trent Grisham (Yankees)

The Yanks are all about the Dads this year.

Trent Grisham and his wife Megan welcomed their first child this past April and returned with a pair of home runs in his first three games back - now can he tap into the Dad Strength on his first Father's Day?

Acquired by the Yankees last season, Grisham is cruising to a career year, hitting 13 home runs already, four shy of his career best in 2022. His OPS is .150 points higher than last season and he's in the 85th percentile in barrel rate.

The Yanks will face Red Sox starter Brayan Bello on Sunday, who has given up just five home runs across 52.1 innings this season, so he may truly need the Dad boost to go yard in Fenway Park.

Trent Grisham draws a 14.2% probability to hit a home run, along with 29.8% for an RBI but just 55.2% to pick up a hit.

Honorable Mentions

These aren't first-time dads but they've got that Dad energy.

Mike Trout (Angels)

Mike Trout and his wife welcomed their second child last June, Jordy Michael, the second of their two boys. That means this will be Trout's first Father's Day as a two-time Dad.

He may have gone a day early, hitting his first home run since going on the IL yesterday afternoon, but maybe 2x Dad Strength means 2x Home Runs for the weekend.

The Angels are in the midst of a series with the Baltimore Orioles, who have allowed the third-most home runs this season.

Trout is a Top 5 HR hitter for the DimersBOT drawing an 18.1% home run probability for fair odds of +450.

Rafael Devers (Red Sox)

Boston's Rafael Devers has two daughters but neither was born in the past year so he's not celebrating anything new with Father's Day.

However, he does play the Yankees, who are basically Devers' son. Through 117 games vs. the Yankees, Devers has a .272 BA with 119 hits and 30 home runs. On average, he's hitting a HR every four games vs. the Yankees and he just hit a pair in their last series.

The Yankees don't give up many home runs and will trot out their ace Max Fried on Sunday, who boasts a 1.84 ERA this season. Devers has a pair of hits and a pair of strikeouts in six career plate appearances vs. Fried.

Devers is at 15.6% to hit his first career homer off Max Fried today, making him a play at +540 or better.

Get The Best MLB Predictions

Like this MLB data? Get it in your pocket and attack this MLB season with the power of Dimers Pro, yours for less than $0.50 a day with our latest limited time promo code SUMMER.

Beyond our futures, you'll get the Best MLB Bets, valuable MLB Player Props, MLB Game Predictions, player prop trends, and more, all at your fingertips from the first pitch to the final out. With proven results and reliable data-backed insights, Dimers Pro gives you unrivaled access to every bet, every game, every day.

Responsible Gambling

Remember to please gamble responsibly. If you sense that you're taking your luck too far, know when to call it quits and don't be afraid to seek assistance. Keep in mind that gambling is all about having a fantastic experience! If you or someone you know is grappling with gambling issues, reach out to 1-800-GAMBLER for crisis counseling and support.