The identity of Mrs. Shohei Ohtani has been revealed.
Before the Los Angeles Dodgers left spring training in Phoenix to start their season-opening trip to South Korea on March 14, Ohtani shared a photo on Instagram that showcased his wife, Mamiko Tanaka.
Ohtani shared in an Instagram post on Feb. 28 that he had gotten married and that two-way sensation’s wife had approved his signing with the Dodgers for 10 years and $700 million in free agency in December. It is the largest contract in major North American professional sports history.
The announcement came as a surprise as Ohtani had been able to keep the nuptials secret despite receiving constant attention from the Japanese media both in his home country and in the United States.
However, Ohtani would not say whom he married or when he tied the knot. He referred to his wife as “a normal Japanese woman” he had known for three or four years.
The Dodgers and the San Diego Padres begin the MLB regular season with a two-game series on March 20-21 at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.
Who is Mamiko Tanaka?
It might have been a stretch for Ohtani to call his wife a “normal Japanese woman.” Tanaka was a professional basketball player in Japan.
The 27-year-old Tanaka played for the Fujitsu Red Wave of the Women’s Japan Basketball League. It is the Japanese equivalent of the WNBA.
Tanaka has not played in the WJBL this season, though it is unclear if she has retired or is taking a sabbatical. The 5-foot-11 forward averaged 7.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in 24.0 minutes a game during the 2022-23 season, her fourth as a professional.
Before turning pro, Tanaka played for Waseeda University. She graduated in 2018 and would have been eligible for the WNBA Draft that year but instead opted to play in her homeland.
The Ohtanis Head to Seoul
Ohtani will be the headliner when the Dodgers and Padres play in Seoul. He won the American League MVP award last season for the second time in three years with the Los Angeles Angels before becoming a free agent.
The Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays both made identical bids for Ohtani. However, Ohtani chose to stay on the West Coast and deferred $680 million of his $700 million so the Dodgers could add more star players.
Los Angeles signed Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $335-million contract in free agency. The Dodgers also traded for Tampa Bay Rays righty Tyler Glasnow then signed him to a five-year, $136.5-million extension.
The Dodgers have captured the National League West title in 10 of the last 11 seasons and are favored to win the division again this year. The Dodgers went 100-62 in 2023, finishing 16 games ahead of the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks.
However, Arizona stunned Los Angeles in a National League Division Series, leaving the Dodgers with only one World Series title since 1989. The Dodgers won it all during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Now they hope the newlywed Ohtani can lead them to their first full-season title since 1988.
