Shohei Ohtani, 31, and the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched a spot in the 2025 MLB World Series after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, October 17. The team is set to face the Toronto Blue Jays in the first game of the series on Friday, October 24. Shohei is the star of the Dodgers, the highest-paid player in the MLB, and one of the first to be just as good of a pitcher and a hitter since Babe Ruth played for the New York Yankees.
While he is world famous, Shohei is also very private. When the baseball player revealed he got married in February 2024, he did not share his wife's identity. "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," he wrote to Instagram at the time.
A month later, news outlets and fans speculated that Shohei married fellow professional athlete Mamiko Tanaka. The couple made their first public appearance at the Los Angeles Dodgers Blue Diamond Gala in May 2024. Here's everything we know about Mamiko and her relationship with Shohei.
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© Alamy Stock PhotoMamiko was a professional basketball player in Japan
Like her husband, Mamiko was a professional athlete. The 28-year-old played college basketball for Waseeda University in Shinjuku, Japan, before going professional. In 2019, Mamiko played for the Fujitsu Red Wave in the Women's Japan Basketball league as a forward. During her last season, she shot 47.7% from the field and 69.9% from the free thrown line. Mamiko retired in 2023.
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© Getty ImagesShohei and Mamiko announced their marriage in February 2024
While Shohei didn't name Mamiko in his announcement, he shared the news of his marriage with his 9.8 million Instagram followers. Per the Associated Press, the LA Dodger asked the press to not reach out to his family and friends for information about his wife. "We are still young and [there are] many things we don't know yet, but we hope you will warmly watch over us," Shohei wrote in Japanese to Instagram.
He continued: "We hope that the two of us (and one dog) will work together to support each other and move forward alongside with our fans," adding: "I don't really feel comfortable talking about when I got married exactly."
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© Getty ImagesThe couple made their social media debut on the way to Seoul
In March, Shohei and Mamiko posed with their translators as they boarded a plane to Seoul, South Korea. The Dodgers faced the San Diego Padres in the "Seoul Series," and posted to X: "Weels up to Seoul."
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© Getty ImagesMamiko is a big supporter of Shohei
Shohei is an international star, with fans across the world. When he and Mamiko landed in Seoul, they were greeted by fans. The Associated Press reported that the baseball player was dressed in a black training suit and a hat, while Mamiko wore an all-black outfit. Months later, the 28-year-old was seen cheering on her husband in Los Angeles alongside their doc, Decoy.
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© InstagramThe couple are parents to a daughter
On April 19, 2025, Shohei announced the arrival of their daughter to Instagram. Alongside a photo of the newborn's feet, he wrote: "I am so grateful to my loving wife who gave birth to our healthy beautiful daughter. To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents." They have not shared their daughter's name with the public yet.
