Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a single. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Shohei Ohtani's wife Mamiko makes rare public appearance celebrating NL West title

Originally posted on The Athlete Lifestyle on SI
By Matt Ryan | Last updated Sep 27, 2024 10:15 AM ET

Shohei Ohtani has many reasons to celebrate this year.

First, he was married in February to Mamiko Tanaka. Then, he started his first season of a historic 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and what a season it has been. Ohtani is the first player to reach baseball’s 50/50 club of 50 home runs and 50 steals. Even his beloved dog, Decoy, got in the action with a first pitch at Dodger Stadium this season.

Now, it’s all paid off for the Dodgers as the team clinched the NL West division for the 11th time in 12 seasons with a 7-2 win Thursday night over the San Diego Padres. Watch how Ohtani celebrated the feat with Decoy and Mamiko, who made a rare public appearance.

Shohei Ohtani had his priorities straight after the Dodgers won the NL West!

He immediately went to his wife, Mamiko, and his beloved dog, Decoy
pic.twitter.com/uc1yVXMO0H
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) September 27, 2024

How sweet is that! Remarkably, it’s the first time we will see Ohtani in the playoffs in his career. The MVP spent his first six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels and never made it to the dance.

While there is a lot of mystery around Mamiko and Ohtani, “Shotime” revealed the two had been hitched in February on his Instagram where he described his wife as a "normal Japanese woman" and "very special to me.” They like to keep their relationship very private, so this was indeed a rare sighting of her.

Mamiko is 27 year old and is a former professional basketball player in Japan who played for the Fujitsu Red Wave in the Women's Japan Basketball League from 2019 to 2023.

As of this writing, Ohtani sits at 53 homes runs and 56 steals with just three games remaining before the playoffs start. He has been rehabbing torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow this season and hasn’t pitched.

There could be a lot more Ohtani and Mamiko celebrations this season should the Dodgers continue to win.

—

This article first appeared on The Athlete Lifestyle on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: