Shohei Otani shocked the world on Thursday when he revealed in an Instagram post that he not only has a girlfriend, but is also married.
As a result, Ohtani’s personal life, which has largely stayed out of the spotlight since arriving in MLB, became the hottest topic at Los Angeles Dodgers spring training Thursday.
Ohtani explained to reporters his decision to publicize his marriage to an “ordinary Japanese woman” whom he said he got engaged to last year.
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Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani smiles in the dugout during a spring training baseball game against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 in Surprise, Arizona. (AP Photo/Lindsay Wasson)
“She’s a Japanese woman,” Otani said. “She is reluctant to say exactly when she got married, but she is an ordinary Japanese woman.”
Ohtani said he doesn’t want any distractions during the offseason.
“It felt like the timing was good because it was before the season,” he added. “We really didn’t want any distractions once the season started. We wanted to announce it sooner, but there were some paperwork issues that (delayed) the whole process.”
According to The Athletic, Ohtani and his wife have known each other for about three to four years.
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani reveals he’s married in surprising social media post
Ohtani also made sure to point out that his decision to join the Dodgers as a free agent and then paying him a whopping $700 million over 10 seasons had “nothing to do with” his relationship. The LA Times reported. However, his wife supported her decision to remain on the West Coast.
Otani’s post was posted in the middle of the night in Los Angeles, but in the afternoon in Japan, causing many people to go crazy.
Newly acquired Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is introduced and poses for a photo at a press conference held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on December 14, 2023. (Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
In Japan, Ohtani’s every move has been covered in the news, and their relationship is made even more impressive by how private he has kept his personal life.
“Not only did I start a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers, but I also started a new life with someone very special to me from my home country of Japan. I want everyone to know that I am now married. I wanted to have it,” he said. the caption of the post read.
The photo on the bottom right was also a photo of his dog Decoy, who became a hot topic when he was seen with him when he won the 2023 American League MVP award, in an Instagram post.
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers attends an NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints on Thursday, December 21, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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Ohtani’s road to the Dodgers is already off to a strong start in the field, as he headed to the opposite field in his third at-bat this spring and hit his first home run for the Dodgers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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