Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers—who is mostly known for his intensely private life outside the diamond both in his native Japan and in the United States—has announced this week that he just got married.
In an Instagram post on Thursday (Feb. 29), Ohtani shocked both the US and Japanese baseball scene when he announced his marital status.
"Not only have I begun a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers but I also have begun 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."I am excited for what is to come and thank you for your support."
Terse Comments About Mrs. Ohtani
In an interview with reporters, Ohtani offered a few details about his wife, their relationship, and when they got married.
He described her as a "normal Japanese woman"—meaning that she was not a fellow celebrity back home—whom he met three to four years ago and has since been spotted in public on several dates.
Ohtani said that he proposed to her now wife last year and that she would join him in Arizona for spring training this year, the Los Angeles Times reported
"It's fun to be together," he added. "I was able to imagine being together for a long time."
Prior to the announcement, Ohtani had never even divulged that he had a romantic partner.
Ohtani also insisted that his relationship had "absolutely nothing to do" with his decision to sign a 10-year, $700-million contract with the Dodgers as a free agent this offseason.
"That's separate from baseball," Ohtani added while noting that his wife was supportive of his decision. "The feeling was that she would go anywhere with me. So it was completely unrelated to that. The No. 1 priority was where I wanted to play."
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