Baseball fans finally have the answer to the burning question they have been waiting for all offseason.
No, it's not Shohei Ohtani's next destination (that's the Dodgers). No, it's not which team landed Yoshinobu Yamamoto (but that's certainly near the top of the list).
It's the name of Ohtani's dog.
It's hard to steal the show from Shohei Ohtani, but... pic.twitter.com/KuKz9XIzgf
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 16, 2023
The pet of the Dodgers' newest superstar has been a hot topic ever since Ohtani showed off his canine companion when he was accepting the AL MVP award. Ohtani had previously hinted that the dog's name would have potential ties to his final landing spot in free agency, leaving fans patiently waiting for both the decision on his new club, and what to call his four-legged friend.
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Now that the Ohtani sweepstakes are over, a name has been revealed. Here is what to know about Ohtani's dog's name, including its name and breed.
What is the name of Shohei Ohtani's dog?
Ohtani finally revealed the name of his dog at his introductory press conference with the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Thursday.
To the disappointment of Walker Buehler, it was not Dodger or Walker, both names thrown out by the Los Angeles ace.
Shohei Ohtani has named his dog Dekopin in Japanese, but he also has an American name: Decoy!
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) December 14, 2023
👋 Decoy! pic.twitter.com/9CatffBmcf
"So his name is Dekopin, that's a Japanese name," Ohtani said "I figured it would be hard for American people to pronounce it so he has an American name and it's Decoy."
The dog is named Dekopin, which is Japanese for flicking someone's forehead. However, it also has an American name — Decoy.
The name "Decoy" perfectly represents Ohtani's free agency. Not only was the dog a minor distraction to everyone pondering where Ohtani would wind up for 2024, but there was some misdirection during the free agency period, whether intentional or not.
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It looked like the Blue Jays were going to land Ohtani when reports bubbled up about a private jet carrying Ohtani to Toronto. Instead, it was "Shark Tank" star and Canadian businessman Robert Herjavec onboard. Ironically, Ohtani was at home, where he was reportedly watching anime with Decoy.
What kind of dog does Shohei Ohtani have?
It is unclear what exactly kind of dog Decoy is. Ohtani has not stated the breed of his pet publicly, however, animal enthusiasts have their hunches.
Based on Decoy's color pattern and size, the dog could have some Jack Russell Terrier and/or Beagle in them. However, based on the longer hair, there might be some Border Collie mixed in.
Either way, Decoy is cute as can be, and fans have already begun begging for more Ohtani-Decoy content.
