Fresh off his World Series win, Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani is ready to become a grand slam-worthy father.
Ohtani, 30, and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, revealed on Saturday, December 28, that they are expecting their first baby.
“Can’t wait for the little rookie to join our family soon,” Ohtani wrote via Instagram, sharing a sonogram photo next to a pink onesie and miniature sneakers.
In the image, the baby gear sat beside the couple’s beloved dog, Decoy.
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“CONGRATS, SHOHEI, MAMIKO, and DECOY! We’re getting a ShoBABY,” an Instagram comment from ESPN Los Angeles read.
The MLB superstar revealed in February that he had tied the knot, initially keeping his wife’s name private.
“To all my friends and fans throughout, I have an announcement to make,” he gushed via Instagram. “Not only have I begun a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers but I also have began a new life with someone from my Native country of Japan who is very special to me and I wanted everyone to know I am now married. I am excited for what is to come and thank you for your support.”
He added in Japanese, “We are still young and [there are] many things we don’t know yet, but we hope you will warmly watch over us. We hope that the two of us (and one dog) will work together to support each other and move forward alongside with our fans.”
Ohtani, a baseball pitcher, played five seasons in his native Japan before joining the Los Angeles Angeles in 2017. Nearly six years later, he signed a 10-year contract with the Dodgers.
“Dodger fans, thank you for welcoming me to your team,” Ohtani said in a December 2023 press release. “I can say 100 percent that you, the Dodger organization and I share the same goal — to bring World Series parades to the streets of Los Angeles.”
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Ohtani got his wish, making it to the playoffs for the first time this fall. He led the Dodgers to a World Series victory over the New York Yankees in October.
“I’m honored to be able to be part of a season where we played the longest, and to be able to get to know this team,” he told reporters afterward. “My first year and experience winning a World Series has been a tremendous honor.”
He continued, “We were able to get through the regular season, I think, because of the strength of this team, this organization. And the success of the postseason is very similar to how we were able to pull it off during the regular season. Again, the strength of the organization. Extremely honored to be a part of this.”
