Shohei Ohtani announced he and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, are expecting their first child together. Ohtani revealed the news through an Instagram post, just like when he announced being married.
“Can’t wait for the little rookie to join our family soon!” Ohtani wrote in the caption. The post was a picture of a baby outfit and shoes, ultrasound image with an emoji covering it, and the couple’s dog, Decoy/Decopin (Dekopin).
The couple recently was in the news for attending a Los Angeles Lakers game at Crypto.Com Arena. Ohtani and Tanaka were gifted custom Lakers jerseys in respective No. 17 and No. 12.
The baby announcement adds to what has been an eventful 2024 for Ohtani and Tanaka.
It began with Ohtani getting acclimated with new teammates after signing a then-record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers. It represented the richest deal in professional sports history, surpassing Lionel Messi’s $674 million contract, but has since been surpassed by Juan Soto signing for $765 million (can ultimately reach $805 million in total value).
Ohtani’s world then was upended by former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara being at the center of an illegal sports betting scandal. A federal investigation resulted in Mizuhara facing bank fraud charges for stealing more than $17 million from Ohtani.
The Dodgers rallied around Ohtani and he kept focused on the field. That amounted to becoming the first player in MLB history with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season, earning him a third unanimous MVP Award. Ohtani also helped lead the Dodgers to a World Series win.
He did recently undergo offseason surgery to repair the labrum in his left shoulder but is expected to be cleared for hitting come the Tokyo Series.
Tanaka has a level of fame in her own right as a former professional basketball player. Her basketball began career at Waseeda University in 2018.
Tanaka then became a member of the Fujitsu Red Wave of the Women’s Japan Basketball League, which she in played from 2019 to 2023. She retired in order to be with Ohtani full-time.
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Pete Alonso is now the New York Mets' all-time home run king. With his opposite-field, two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night, Alonso clubbed the 253rd and 254th home runs of his Mets career, moving him into sole possession of first place on the team's all-time list. He moved two home runs ahead of the previous record-holder, Darryl Strawberry, who hit 252 home runs with the team between the 1983 and 1990 seasons. Here is a look at his record-setting home run. Later in the bottom of the sixth inning, Alonso hit his 254th home run: Along with the all-time Mets home run lead, Alonso is also the Mets' single-season home run leader with 53 home runs during the 2019 season. Strawberry congratulated Alonso on breaking his record: His home runs on Tuesday were his 27th and 28th of the season. It is a big deal for Alonso because there was some doubt this past offseason about whether he would have a chance to set this record. Even though he was close, the uncertainty around his future, given his free-agent status, created a lot of questions about where he would play. Ultimately, the Mets re-signed him to a two-year, $54 million contract that includes an opt-out clause following the 2025 season. That opt-out will again create some uncertainty about his future, but it is pretty clear Alonso still has a lot of power left in his bat. Whether he returns to the Mets or goes somewhere else, he will remain the franchise's greatest home run hitter for the foreseeable future. He is now on top of the record books for the single season and career.
The Washington Commanders are currently dealing with some wide receiver issues heading into the season. An NFL analyst poured more fuel on the fire by proclaiming that Adam Peters will regret a huge call earlier this offseason. Terry McLaurin is not practicing and hasn't for months as his contract battle with the Commanders goes on. Others lower down the depth chart are coming in for increasing criticism, which leaves general manager Adam Peters with a potential problem on his hands if they cannot turn the tide before Week 1. The Commanders' wideout regeneration began by letting Dyami Brown walk in free agency. Although the former third-round pick displayed much-improved performances down the stretch and into the playoffs, it wasn't enough for Peters to give him an extended stay. NFL analyst believes Commanders could regret letting Dyami Brown walk Brown ended up signing a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars that includes $9.5 million guaranteed. He's made his presence felt over the summer, drawing praise from quarterback Trevor Lawrence and head coach Liam Coen. This is the time of year he always flourished in Washington, but putting it together in a competitive setting was far more challenging. That didn't stop Brock Vereen of CBS Sports from labeling Brown as a sleeping giant ready to take over in 2025. The analyst thought his stock was low right now, but the Commanders could be kicking themselves for letting him go when it's all said and done. Stock right now is low on him because, 'Oh, Washington got rid of him. They replaced him with Deebo Samuel. He only landed a one-year deal.' This is a sleeping giant. Liam Coen knew exactly what he was doing. Dyami Brown is a versatile weapon. He can take handoffs, he can catch the ball, he can line up anywhere on the field. He even has pass attempts over his career. He can do everything and will be probably the most forgotten offensive weapon coming off of the Travis Hunter hype.Brock Vereen via SI Brown always flattered to deceive in Washington. He had every physical tool imaginable to be successful, but consistency never got close to the required standard. Peters takes sentiment out of every equation. The front-office leader didn't think the North Carolina product was worth what Jacksonville was willing to pay. And he pivoted accordingly. There probably won't be much regret around Brown's departure, regardless of whether he performs well with the Jaguars or not. He had countless chances to establish himself as a long-term option and almost always failed to deliver. If he'd done so, the Commanders would have rewarded him with a new deal. That wasn't the case. And there are still more questions than answers around Brown despite his promising start in the Florida sunshine. More Commanders news and analysis
Lakers governor Jeanie Buss is supposed to remain in charge of the team for years even after the sale. Given what just happened with the Boston Celtics, it might only be months. When the Grousbeck family sold the Celtics for $6.1B in March, ESPN reported that Wyc Grousbeck would stay on as the Celtics CEO and governor through the 2027-28 season. Now, new owner Bill Chisholm will take over once the sale is final. That should concern current Lakers team governor Jeanie Buss, whose family sold a majority interest in the Los Angeles Lakers to investor Mark Walter. Buss is supposed to stay on as team governor for "at least a number of years," according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, but new NBA owners haven't been keen on waiting to take control of teams recently. Mark Cuban thought he would continue running the Dallas Mavericks when he sold a controlling interest to the Adelson family in November 2023. Before the end of that season, when Dallas advanced to the NBA Finals, new team governor Patrick Dumont, the son-in-law of Miriam Adelson, was firmly in charge. General manager Nico Harrison reported directly to Dumont, which is how Luka Doncic ended up traded to the Lakers despite Cuban's objections. It might be different with the Lakers. Walter has owned a minority share in the Lakers since 2021, so he's had a working relationship with Buss. Her role as team governor may be a condition of the sale itself. With the team preparing for a long-term future with Doncic, Walter and his fellow owners might opt for continuity in the team governor role. But in general, people do not spend billions of dollars on a professional sports team so that someone else can be in charge. Buss is in charge of the Lakers now. Recent history says she won't be for long.
August heat in Philly? Training camp vibes usually hum with focused repetition... the quiet grind before the Linc erupts. However, sometimes controlled environments crack unexpectedly. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles faced their first real test against Cleveland’s fierce defense this week. The simmer started early. Then, sparks flew. During a routine special teams drill, pushing erupted into a full sideline-clearing skirmish. NBC's John Clark posted, "Here we go. The Eagles and the Browns are being separated after some pushing and shoving." "FIGHT! Happened at the end of a special teams rep," tweeted Eliot Shorr-Parks. "Huge group of players form to try to break it tho." No punches landed, thankfully. Order returned fast. Eagles fans, however, quickly pointed fingers. "My money is on Sydney Brown," echoed several online. "Special teams? Yeah def syd lol." Was it frustration boiling over? A sign of intense competition? The joint practices suddenly felt more like a playoff scrum than a friendly tune-up. Meanwhile, Hurts endured his battle. Hurts Under Pressure Facing Myles Garrett, arguably the NFL's most destructive force, is no picnic. Garrett, earning every cent of his $40 million deal, showcased why. He blew past double-teams, chasing down Hurts for a "sack" that highlighted Cleveland's defensive might. Hurts' day mirrored the team's uneven energy. Officially, his stat line read 16/24, two touchdowns, one interception. Reality felt bumpier. One pick was negated only by a "sack" call. Another floated dangerously incomplete after a deflection. He even tossed an interception in non-counting 1-on-1s—a rare misstep. "The first day against the Browns was likely not the way Hurts wanted to start," observed Shorr-Parks. Bright spots flickered, though. Hurts connected with giant rookie Johnny Wilson on a spectacular 25-yard "50-50 ball" that Wilson wrestled away. He also threw two short touchdown passes to Devonta Smith and A.J. Dillon. But the overall operation lacked its usual smoothness. Offensive line chemistry, minus injured Pro Bowler Landon Dickerson, showed strain against Cleveland's relentless front. Consequently, concerns about offensive rhythm resurfaced. Were these just camp kinks or something more? Beyond the Fray and the Stats The aftermath revealed a different scene. Eagles players mingled warmly with old friends, such as Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. Rookie Jihaad Campbell sought wisdom from Myles Garrett. Coach Nick Sirianni chatted with Flacco's family. The fight, it seemed, was an isolated flare-up. For Hurts, these high-intensity practices are vital. Sirianni values them over preseason games for controlled, competitive reps. “That’s why these things are fun,” stated Eagles OC Kevin Patullo. "Run it like a game as best we can... That’s why these things are fun." The pressure was intentional. Jalen Hurts needed this test. Now, the Eagles regroup. Can they channel that physical intensity productively? Will Hurts and the offense find cleaner execution against the same Browns defense today? The path to repeating as champions is steeper than the Rocky Steps. Every rep, every interaction, matters. And for Philly, fine-tuning starts now.