Shohei Ohtani opens up about his wife after stunning marriage reveal

Shohei Ohtani gave a few more details on his new bride on Thursday after making a shocking announcement in the middle of the night that he had gotten married. 

Ohtani, who has kept his personal life out of the spotlight despite being one of MLB’s biggest names, told reporters at the Dodgers’ spring training facility in Arizona that he had married a woman that he had known for about three to four years and went public to avoid future distractions, The Athletic reported. 

While the dual-threat player didn’t say when he got married, the 29-year-old did reveal that the pair got engaged last year, and his now-wife lives in Japan but joined him in the United States for spring training, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

The Dodgers star described her as a “normal Japanese woman” and not some type of celebrity. 

Ohtani said the relationship had “absolutely nothing to do” with his decision to sign with the Dodgers in December and that his wife was supportive of his decision, the LA Times reported. 

The news shocked just about everyone around the globe, even in Ohtani’s native Japan, where his every movement is covered and documented intensely. 

When the 2023 American League MVP announced the news on Instagram, it was in the middle of the night in Los Angeles and Phoenix but in the afternoon in Japan.

It instantly became the top story for local news outlets in the country. 

“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 captioned the announcement on Instagram.

The news dump came two days after Ohtani made his spring training debut for the Dodgers. 

He crushed an opposite-field, two-run home run off the White Sox in his third at-bat. 

Ohtani signed a massive 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December and deferred $680 million until after the contract to allow Los Angeles to build a title-contending team around him. 

The Dodgers open the 2024 season on March 20 in Seoul, South Korea, and the Dodgers hope he is ready to go to make his official debut.