- Shohei Ohtani shocked the world when he announced he was married last month
- The Dodgers revealed the identity of Ohtani’s lover in a post Thursday
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
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Shohei Ohtani has revealed the identity of his wife after the $700 million Los Angeles Dodgers star suddenly announced he was married to a mystery woman last month.
Ohtani, who was recently handed the biggest contract in sports history, posted a photo of his new partner on social media on Thursday.
He announced that he was married to Japanese basketball player Mamiko Tanaka.
Tanaka, 27, played for Waseeda University and Fujitsu Red Wave in the Women’s Japan Basketball League.
She is a 5ft 11ins forward or center and averaged 7.8 points and six rebounds per game.
Shohei Ohtani has revealed the identity of his wife following his shock marriage announcement
Ohtani announced Thursday that he is married to Japanese basketball player Mamiko Tanaka
The pair are believed to have known each other for three to four years, although it is still uncertain when they tied the knot.
The 29-year-old is Japan’s biggest celebrity and there has been curiosity about his personal life, which he has always kept private. His focus and his image has always been 100 percent baseball focused and free of scandals and tabloid news.
Last month, Ohtani wrote it on Instagram he not only started ‘a new chapter in my career, but I also started a new life with someone from my native Japan, who is very special to me…’
Ohtani added that his wife was ‘a normal Japanese woman’.
Ohtani’s announcement even caught the Dodgers off-guard, as team manager Dave Roberts revealed from spring training.
“I’m very happy for him and his bride,” Roberts said, via the AP. ‘In terms of wedding gifts, we were caught off guard and didn’t have much time to think about it. I’m sure it’s coming.’
In the Instagram post announcing his marriage, which garnered almost 1.5 million likes in just one hour, the 29-year-old also said: ‘The two of us (and our dog) will support each other and we hope to move forward together with all our fans.’
Ohtani is working out with the Dodgers as they prepare to open in South Korea on the 20th-21st. March
Japanese television reports daily on his training in the United States, and due to his unprecedented success in North America, he has become the pride of Japan. The Dodgers have become Japan’s de facto team.
Ohtani works out with the Dodgers as they prepare to open in Seoul, South Korea, on the 20th-21st. March in a two-game series against the San Diego Padres.
Ohtani had surgery on his right elbow last September and will not pitch this season. He will be used as a designated hitter and there is a possibility that he can play in the field.
In his spring training debut, he hit a two-run home run against the Chicago White Sox.
Ohtani has hit 171 home runs, including 44 last season, and has a career .274 batting average along with a 38-19 pitching record in five seasons. He missed the 2019 season due to elbow surgery and has a career ERA of 3.01.
He was the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year and 2021 and ’23 AL MVP in 2021, often compared to Babe Ruth for his ability as a two-way player.
More to follow.