Shohei Ohtani’s wife, Mamiko Tanaka, is a former basketball player and the two had a secret wedding with not even the MLB superstar’s teammates knowing that he was married
Shohei Ohtani will be competing in his second World Series, with his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, supporting him(Image: Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers are on a quest to win their second straight World Series and it is clear the star will be a highlight of the series, with his home run balls from the NLCS valued in the millions.
As the Dodgers and the Japanese megastar face off against the Toronto Blue Jays, fans have pondered just how secretive Ohtani is, especially when it comes to his family and partner, Mamiko Tanaka. It was only recently that the Dodgers star announced he was married to Tanaka, a former basketball player.
With all eyes now set on the Dodgers and Blue Jays, Ohtani’s personal life is back in the spotlight, which is fair considering the 31-year-old arguably is the most popular figure in baseball. All this comes despite the fact that Ohtani is not even the highest-paid player on the team.
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Who is Shohei Ohtani’s wife?
Shortly after signing a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, the Japanese megastar shocked the sports landscape by announcing he was married. On Instagram, the star wrote: “To all my friends and fans throughout, I have an announcement to make:
“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. I am excited for what is to come and thank you for your support.”
Does Shohei Ohtani have kids?
Though Ohtani opted to keep her identity a secret, it was revealed that Tanaka was his wife, with the former basketball star appearing at Dodger Stadium every so often. The two welcomed their first child, a daughter, in April 2025, posting a two-photo carousel on Instagram with a letter to fans and a picture of their child’s feet.
“Welcome to the Ohtani Family!” the post began. “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.”
Shohei Ohtani announced he was married to Mamiko Tanaka in February 2024(Image: Photo by Gene Wang – Capture At Media/Getty Images)
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When did they get married?
Ohtani’s relationship was so secretive that not even his teammates and those within the organizations he’s played for knew that the Japanese megastar had a partner or was even married. The details of Ohtani’s marriage to Tanaka were kept under wraps, leading some of his teammates to ponder what actually happened.
“It’s cool,” former Dodgers star Chris Taylor said when asked if he was insulted that he was not invited to Ohtani’s wedding, per Sports Illustrated. “He wasn’t invited to mine.”
Current Los Angeles star Kike Hernandez admitted he was left scratching his head when he saw Ohtani’s announcement, telling the outlet that he was left confused. “He only posted a picture of his dog,” Hernandez explained. “So I want to ask him if he married his dog.”
Part of the secrecy is how Japanese culture perceives marriage. Simply put, the bride often prioritizes the husband’s parents and family rules, and if a prominent figure, like Ohtani, requests that their wife have a low profile, they are expected to do so, according to Yuko Tamura.
