Shohei Ohtani thrills new bride with his first hit as a Dodger since signing $700m deal: Japanese slugger rifles single off Padres’ Yu Darvish in MLB opener in Seoul as his basketball star wife Mamiko Tanaka cheers politely
- Ohtani singled twice and hit two fielder’s choices in his first four at bats
- He signed a $700 million deal in the offseason and married Mamiko Tanaka
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It took Shohei Ohtani just two appearances in a Dodger uniform to score his first hit with his new team, much to the delight of his new bride who attended Wednesday’s season opener at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.
Facing the San Diego Padres in Major League Baseball’s Seoul Series, the Japanese sensation lured a slider from fellow countryman Yu Darvish into right field for an easy single.
ESPN cameras quickly cut to his new wife, Japanese basketball player Mamiko Tanaka, who was seen exchanging high fives with a few women sitting around her, all of whom were wearing Dodger hats and jerseys.
βShe’s a big story, just like Shohei in certain circles,β ESPN’s Karl Ravech said of Tanaka, whose identity was a closely guarded secret until last week, when Ohtani posted a photo of the couple on Instagram.
In February, Ohtani revealed he was married, but neglected to say anything about his new bride other than calling her “a Japanese woman” who is “very special to me.”
It only took Shohei Ohtani two at-bats in a Dodger uniform
Mamiko Tanaka, Ohtani’s wife, is a basketball player in Japan who has played for the country
Mamiko Tanaka, wife of Shohei Ohtani, is seen ahead of the 2024 Seoul Series match
Shohei Ohtani fired a slider from fellow countryman Yu Darvish into right field for an easy single
Ohtani’s Dodger debut wasn’t perfect.
Ohtani served as manager Dave Roberts’ designated hitter, hitting a fielder’s choice in both the first and fifth innings in his first game since being lured away from the Angels on a largely deferred 10-year, $700 million deal.
Later, though, Ohtani would get his first RBI with the Dodgers by driving in Gavin Lux with a single to left, giving LA a 5-2 lead in the top of the eighth.
Ohtani underwent offseason elbow surgery that will likely leave him unable to pitch until 2024, but he is the sport’s biggest star on both sides of the Pacific since Babe Ruth.
Wednesday’s game will likely be the first time Tanaka has seen Ohtani play in the Majors, although it’s hard to say when their relationship officially began. Ohtani played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from 2013 to 2017, when he signed with the Angels, for whom he played six seasons and won two American League MVP awards.
‘So I think it will be very fond memories for both of us. But like I said before, I have one job to focus on. It’s baseball,β Otani said through an interpreter on Saturday.