Shohei Ohtani. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Shohei Ohtani clears up mystery regarding his dog’s name

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Dec 14, 2023 6:57 PM ET

Shohei Ohtani’s free agency featured a lot of wild rumors. One of them even involved a claim that his dog might offer a hint about his ultimate destination.

Ohtani was officially introduced as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, and the question actually came up at his news conference. There was a rumor that Ohtani’s dog’s name actually shared a name with one of the teams he was considering, so the two-way star was asked to clarify.

The rumor, it turns out, was false. The dog’s Japanese name is Dekopin, but it has a fitting American name: Decoy.

Shohei Ohtani has named his dog Dekopin in Japanese, but he also has an American name: Decoy!

Decoy! pic.twitter.com/9CatffBmcf

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) December 14, 2023

It’s somewhat close to Dodger, but clearly, the name would not have provided much of a hint. It still made for a great news cycle.

Ohtani’s dog first came to public attention during the AL MVP announcement, which led to a viral moment. Perhaps Dodgers fans will get more glimpses of the dog in the years to come.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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