Shohei Ohtani, a standout for the Los Angeles Dodgers, revealed his marriage on social media on Thursday.
The two-way athlete posted the following in Japanese on Instagram: “The season is approaching but I would like to announce to everyone that I have gotten married.” The star, who signed a record-breaking $700 million contract over ten years, went from the Los Angeles Angels to the Dodgers in December.
He did not name his new wife, but he did say she is from Japan. He promised further information in an interview on Friday.
“I began a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers, but I also have started a new life with someone from my native country of Japan who is very special to me,” he wrote.
The news broke in the middle of the night in North America, but in the evening in Japan, it quickly became the front page news on local television.
Local television covered his training in America daily, and his unprecedented success in North America made him the pride of Japan, making the Dodgers the de facto Japanese team.
Ohtani is training in Arizona for the Major League Baseball season, preparing for the Dodgers’ opening game against the San Diego Padres on March 20-21 in Seoul, South Korea.
Since Ohtani, 29, has maintained his privacy about his personal life, there has always been curiosity about the largest star in Japan.
Alongside the post on Instagram was a picture of his dog, “Dekopin,” also known as “Decoy.”
He said: “We hope the two of us — and one animal — will work together.”
After having surgery on his right elbow, Ohtani will be utilized as a designated hitter this season but won’t be pitching.
This Thursday, he made his spring training debut off a two-run home drive against the Chicago White Sox.