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Shohei Ohtani Pays Unique Homage to His Popular Dog Decoy

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sean Deveney | Last updated Mar 18, 2025 11:27 AM ET

Shohei Ohtani and the defending-champion Dodgers opened the season in Tokyo against the Cubs on Tuesday, notching a 4-1 win, with Ohtani going 2-for-5 at the plate and scoring two runs from the leadoff spot. It was a homecoming for Ohtani, who is a native of Japan and played five seasons in the Japanese League before coming to MLB.

Japanese starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto got the win for the Dodgers, pitching five innings and allowing one run on three hits and a walk in the game, which was played before a packed house of 42,365 fans at the Tokyo Dome.

Ohtani was missing two fixtures in his life during the trip, though--his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, and his beloved dog, whose Japanese name (Dekopin) has been Americanized to Decoy.

Decoy is well-known in MLB circles, as he attended the presentation of the 2023 MVP Award to Ohtani and famously gave his star owner a high five after the announcement. Since Ohtani moved over to the Dodgers from the Angels, Decoy has become a favorite of his Dodger teammates and of Dodgers fans.

Decoy threw out the first pitch at a Dodgers game in August of last year, and was the subject of a bobblehead giveaway.

On Tuesday, it was clear that Ohtani had his pooch on his mind. He wore cleats that featured Decoy on the back and on the bottom, which got the attention fo fans everywhere.

One fan noted: "Awake watching baseball @ 5am with no one to talk to about Shohei Ohtani having Decoy on his cleat."

Awake watching baseball @ 5am with no one to talk to about Shohei Ohtani having Decoy on his cleat
pic.twitter.com/1r752lUXpp
— (@HBK_Jedi) March 18, 2025

Shohei Ohtani had Decoy on his cleats for Opening Day. pic.twitter.com/BDYUtAZOlF
— Matthew Moreno (@Matthew__Moreno) March 18, 2025

There was, too, a massive "agricultural mural" featuring Ohtani and Decoy.

This agriculture mural of Shohei Ohtani and Decoy is something else pic.twitter.com/62CMHIdeiA
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 18, 2025

And the L.A. Times showed that there was even a Decoy impersonator outside the Tokyo Dome.

We are about 4 hours away from first pitch in Tokyo against the Dodgers and Cubs and the Ohtani, Yamamoto, Imanaga and Decoy impersonators are VERY popular. pic.twitter.com/ymAdY7I9mO
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) March 18, 2025

The Dodgers and Cubs will play again on Wednesday, with the game airing at 6 a.m. EDT.

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

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