Marriage announcement of LA Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani shocks fans

Shohei Ohtani, the baseball sensation from Japan, has announced his marriage in a surprising Instagram post.

On Thursday, he posted in Japanese: “The season is coming soon, but I want to share with everyone that I am married.”

He did not reveal the identity of his wife, only saying that she was a “Japanese woman.” He said he would give more details in an interview, likely at the Los Angeles Dodgers spring training site.

Ohtani, 29, is Japan’s most celebrity, and his personal life has always been a mystery. He has always maintained a 100%-baseball focus and image, avoiding scandals or gossip.

He joined the Dodgers from the Los Angeles Angels in December, signing a record-breaking deal worth $700 million for 10 years.

“I have started a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers, and also a new life with someone from Japan who is very special to me,” he wrote.

He requested the media not to “do unauthorized interviews.”

He also shared a photo of his dog “Dekopin,” known as “Decoy.”

He wrote: “We hope the three of us – two humans and one animal – will work together.”

The news came out in the middle of the night in North America and late afternoon in Japan, where it was the top story on TV.

TV shows report daily on his training in the US, and because of his unmatched success in North America, he is Japan’s pride, and the Dodgers are Japan’s team.

Ohtani is training in Arizona for the Major League Baseball season, getting ready for the Dodgers to play in Seoul, South Korea, on March 20-21 in a two-game series against the San Diego Padres.

Ohtani had surgery on his right elbow and will not pitch this season. He will be a designated hitter and might also play on the field.

This week, he hit a two-run homer against the Chicago White Sox in his spring training debut.

Ohtani has hit 171 homers – 44 last season – and has a career batting average of .274. He has a 38-19 record as a pitcher in five seasons. He missed the 2019 season due to elbow surgery and has a career ERA 3.01.

He was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2018 and the American League MVP in 2021 and 2023, and he is often likened to Babe Ruth for his talent as a two-way player.