Shohei Ohtani might be the biggest superstar in all of baseball. But he sure does love his privacy.
Considered a beloved teammate, not many outside the clubhouse (or even inside the clubhouse) know a whole lot about him.
He caught his own team off-guard when he recently announced that he got married.
Now, he’s finally revealed who his wife is and put an end to all of the speculation once and for all.
Turns out, his loving wife is professional basketball player Mamiko Tanaka.
SHOHEI OHTANI’S WIFE REVEAL!!!
He posted this photo on IG with Japanese basketball player Mamiko Tanaka 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/doaCIwmnVk
— Shawn Spradling (@Shawn_Spradling) March 14, 2024
Ohtani signed a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December.
He had previously hinted at his nuptials without divulging his wife’s identity. In a post on Instagram earlier this year, the reigning American League MVP vaguely mentioned tying the knot with “someone from my Native country Japan,” maintaining a level of privacy that has become characteristic of the two-way phenom.
“She is a Japanese woman, and I don’t really feel comfortable talking about when I got married, the exact date and stuff,” Ohtani had stated in February through his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, underscoring his desire to shield his personal life from the public eye. “But she’s a normal Japanese woman.”
That's why he deferred. She would have gotten half unless she sticks around 10 years. Hehe. @HollyBaylorMLB with the scoop. pic.twitter.com/LdC8qA2dsU
— Adam DeCicco (@AdamDeCicco) February 29, 2024
The mystery woman, now identified as Mamiko Tanaka, stands at 5-foot-11 and boasts an impressive career as a Japanese basketball center, having represented the Fujitsu Red Wave from 2019 to 2023 following a solid college career at Waseda University and Tokyo Seitoku University.
Mamiko Tanaka: a normal Japanese woman pic.twitter.com/RwnvXFNDGl
— Shawn Spradling (@Shawn_Spradling) March 14, 2024
Despite his penchant for privacy, Ohtani disclosed that he has known Tanaka for three to four years, opting to make their union public to preempt any potential distractions.
“Absolutely nothing” related to his career decisions, including his record-breaking deal with the Dodgers, was influenced by his relationship, according to the LA Times.
The revelation sheds light on Ohtani’s personal life, which he has guarded fiercely amidst his meteoric rise in Major League Baseball.
Their kids are gonna be menaces @GaiminIo
— Stephan (@GoalsOfCrypto) March 14, 2024
The Dodgers are gearing up for their upcoming trip to South Korea for the Seoul Series, where they will engage in two exhibition games before launching into the regular season against the San Diego Padres on March 20th.
Caitlin Clark lucky she doesn’t play in Japan
— 3AM Japanese Baseball (@3AMbaseball) March 14, 2024
While Ohtani, who is set to celebrate his 30th birthday on July 5, will be sidelined from pitching duties in 2024 as he recuperates from surgery to repair his right UCL, his presence both on and off the field continues to captivate fans worldwide.
He is considered the biggest star in all of Japan with each one of his at-bats being closely watched by the country.
woke up to shohei ohtani being married news and i wasnt the bride pic.twitter.com/vFmn7n1Cnw
— em 🫶 (@emmaquesadilla) February 29, 2024
What are your thoughts on Ohtani as a player?
Is he the best in all of baseball?
Will he live up to his historic contract???
just found out shohei ohtani got married pic.twitter.com/piM06aArpB
— ana (@winmyeon) February 29, 2024