Shohei Ohtani, the highest-paid MLB player and world-famous figure, prefers to keep his personal life private.
The Los Angeles Dodgers player married in February 2024 but did not reveal his wife’s identity. Two weeks later, he posed for a photo with Japanese basketball player Mamiko Tanaka, sparking speculation that she was his mystery wife.
“Not only have I began a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers but I also have began a new life with someone from my Native country of Japan who is very special to me and I wanted everyone to know I am now married,” Ohtani announced on her Instagram account.
In December 2024, Ohtani announced that he and Mamiko Tanaka are expecting a “little rookie.” He shared the couple’s baby news on Instagram, accompanied a snap of a pink onesie.
So, who is Shohei Ohtani’s wife? Here’s everything you need know about Mamiko Tanaka and her relationship with the athlete.
She was a professional basketball player in Japan
Tanaka, born December 11, 1996, is a former Japanese basketball player.
She began her career at Waseeda University before turning professional in 2019 with the Fujitsu Red Wave of the Women’s Japan Basketball League. The 5-foot-11 forward was with the organization for four years until retiring in 2023.
Tanaka shot 47.7% from the field and 69.9% from the free throw line in 28 games of her final season in 2023, according to ESPN.
During a press conference following his marriage announcement, Ohtani described Tanaka as a “normal Japanese woman.”
Ohtani announced that they got married in February 2024
Ohtani announced his marriage on Instagram in February 2024. While the caption was written in English, he also included a Japanese greeting for his supporters.
According to a translation by the Associated Press and CNN, the baseball player requested that the media not contact his family and friends for more information about his wife.
Ohtani wrote in Japanese, “The season is approaching, I am pleased to announce to you that I have gotten married,” according to CNN.
“We are still young and [there are] many things we don’t know yet, but we hope you will warmly watch over us,” he said. “We hope that the two of us (and one dog) will collaborate to support one another and move forward alongside with our fans.”
“I don’t really feel comfortable talking about when I got married exactly,” he remarked, according to TIME, adding that he believed it was “good timing” to reveal the news at the time, given the season was just beginning.
They made their social media debut two weeks later
Just two weeks after announcing his marriage, Ohtani posed with Tanaka and their translators before boarding a plane to Seoul, South Korea, where the Dodgers were scheduled to play.
The organization shared a photo of the two of them on X (previously known as Twitter), along with another one of Ohtani’s teammate Mookie Betts and his wife Brianna Hammonds.
They titled the image, “Wheels up to Seoul,” and identified Tanaka as Ohtani’s wife in the photo’s alt text.
She supports Ohtani’s career
Tanaka and Ohtani were met by a swarm of supporters as they arrived in Seoul, where the Dodgers were scheduled to play their season opening against the San Diego Padres.
The two walked together from the plane to their waiting sedan, Ohtani dressed in a black training suit and headgear and Tanaka in all-black. According to the Associated Press, Ohtani waved briefly to his admirers while Tanaka grinned and moved a few feet behind him.
In September 2024, she was seen cheering him on. Tanaka is seen celebrating with Ohtani and their dog, Decoy, on the field after the Dodgers won the NL West, according to a video uploaded by Dodgers Nation on X (previously Twitter).
She and Ohtani made their red carpet debut in May 2024
She and Ohtani are expecting their first child
Ohtani and Tanaka are presently expecting their first child together. The MLB player shared the good news on Instagram in December 2024.
“Can’t wait for the little rookie to join our family soon!”He wrote alongside images of a pink onesie, white baby shoes, and a sonogram.
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