Shohei Ohtani's life outside the baseball diamond has always been intensely private. The only thing he has revealed is that he has a dog named Dekopin, which in Japanese means decoy.
Until now. Ohtani, 29, posted on Instagram in the middle of the night that he is married. Yes, the two-way superstar has her first ring as a Dodger, and it was a shock even to the horde of Japanese media covering her every public word, step and swing.
“Not only did I start a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers, but I also started a new life with someone from my home country of Japan, which is very special to me and I wanted everyone to know that I am now married,” he said. she wrote in Japanese.
“I'm excited for what's to come and thank you for your support.”
Ohtani did not identify his wife in the post, but said she is a woman from Japan. No details were offered on when or where the wedding ceremony took place. He said she would be available for an interview Friday at the Dodgers' Camelback Ranch training facility in Phoenix.
The news broke in the middle of the night in Los Angeles and Phoenix, where the Dodgers are holding spring training, but it was already late in Japan and the story quickly aired on television. Ohtani hadn't even revealed that he had a girlfriend.
The couple will have a canine companion. Ohtani included a photo of Dekopin, a Dutch Kooikerhondje, in the Instagram marriage announcement and these words: “We hope that the two of us, and one animal, will work together.” He first introduced the dog to the public when he talked about winning the American League Most Valuable Player award during a televised interview on MLB Network in November.
Ohtani made his first appearance in a Dodgers uniform on Tuesday, hitting a home run in his third at-bat. He signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers this offseason after playing six seasons with the Angels.
