Shohei Ohtani has won multiple MVPs, is a World Series champion and will soon add another title to his name: dad.
The Los Angeles Dodgers slugger announced on Instagram on Saturday he is expecting a baby with his wife, former professional basketball player Mamiko Tanaka.
‘Can’t wait for the little rookie to join our family soon!’ he wrote, with a photo of baby clothes and his beloved dog, Decoy.
The announcement caps off what has been an incredible year for Ohtani. In his first season playing for the Dodgers, Ohtani became the first player in MLB history with a 50-homer, 50-steal season en route to Los Angeles winning the World Series in Ohtani’s first postseason appearance. He won his third MVP award, his first in the National League. He joined Hall of Famer Frank Robinson as the only players to win MVPs in both leagues.
While this will be Ohtani’s first child, he’s been the ‘dad’ to his dog Decoy, who became the Dodgers’ unofficial mascot this season. He was featured in a bobblehead giveaway, which depicted the slugger holding his dog. Decoy became the first dog to throw out a first pitch on Aug. 28 and was also part of the Dodgers’ World Series parade and celebration ceremony.
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