Shohei Ohtani has a ring before reaching the MLB playoffs.
Ohtani announced in an Instagram post Thursday he married to a woman from his native Japan. The Dodgers star did not announce the name of his wife in the post.
"Not only have I began 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," Ohtani said, per Kyodo News. "Although we will be starting with a new team in a new environment, we hope that the two of us (and also one animal) will work together, support each other, and move forward together with our fans."
Despite being among the biggest stars in both Japan and the United States, Ohtani has largely kept quiet about his private life. There was months of speculation starting in November concerning the name of his dog, who appeared with him on the Japan broadcast where he accepted his 2023 AL MVP. Speculation over the dog's name increased when Ohtani hinted it had ties to his final landing spot in free agency.
MORE: How did Ohtani play in his Dodgers' spring training debut?
Ohtani announced during his introductory Dodgers' press conference that his dog's name was Dekopin, but the pup also has an American name: Decoy. His dog was included in the bottom-right corner of the Instagram post announcing his marriage.
Ohtani headlines dominated the offseason as MLB's biggest star set his sights on his next team. He wound up not having to move far, going from the Angels to the Dodgers by signing a 10-year, $700 million contract, the largest contract in North American sports history.
Who is Shohei Ohtani's wife?
For now, Ohtani is not revealing anything else about his wife other than she is someone from Japan. He told reporters Thursday that she is a "normal Japanese woman," rather than a celebrity, and added that he has known her for 3-4 years.
Shohei Ohtani said his wife is a “normal Japanese woman” (aka, not a fellow celebrity) who he has known for 3-4 years
— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) February 29, 2024
He didn’t say when they got married, but insisted the relationship had no bearing on his FA decision and that she was supportive of him signing with the Dodgers
Ohtani explained earlier in his post he would share more about her in a Friday interview, but asked the media not to conduct "unauthorized interviews" until then.
