Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani says he is married and that his new bride is Japanese

By STEPHEN WADE
AP Sports Writer

TOKYO (AP) — Baseball star Shohei Ohtani announced on his Instagram account on Thursday that he is married. The two-way player moved from the Los Angeles Angels to the Los Angeles Dodgers in December on a record-breaking contract worth $700 million over 10 years.

He wrote on Instagram in Japanese: “The season is approaching but I would like to announce to everyone that I have gotten married.”

He said his new wife is a “Japanese woman” although he did not identify her. He said he would reveal more in an interview on March 1.

He asked that the media refrain from “conducting unauthorized interviews.” But of course the news will make even more headlines than his baseball stardom.

Ohtani is training in Arizona for the upcoming season, preparing for the Dodgers to open the MLB season in Seoul, South Korea, on March 20-21 in a two-game series against the San Diego Padres.

The 29-year-old Ohtani is Japan’s biggest celebrity, and there has always been curiosity around his personal life, which he has always kept very private. His focus, and his image, has always been 100%-baseball focused — free of scandals or tabloid news.

The post on Instagram also included a photo of his dog “Dekopin,” which is also called “Decoy.”

He wrote: “We hope the two of us — and one animal — will work together.”

The news broke in the middle of the night in North America, and late afternoon in Japan where it was immediately the top news item on local television.

Ohtani just underwent surgery on his right elbow and will not pitch this season. He will be used as a designated hitter, and the possibility also exists that he could play in the field.

He had a perfect spring training debut this week, hitting a two-run home run in a game against the Chicago White Sox.

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