Shohei Ohtani celebrates wife Mamiko Tanaka with an adorable picture on Mother's Day

LA Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani had something to look forward to celebrating with his own family in the US on Mother's Day. Before Ohtani and the Dodgers crushed the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-1 on Sunday evening, the two-way star celebrated his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, who gave birth to their daughter last month.

Ohtani shocked fans in February 2024 when he announced that he had gotten married, as he had kept the relationship private. It was later found that his wife is Tanaka, a former professional basketball player in Japan. One year later, the couple became parents.

On Mother's Day, Ohtani posted a picture of Tanaka's finger touching her daughter's adorable hands and wrote:

"Happy Mother’s Day 🌹"

Ohtani and Tanaka reportedly dated privately for several years. The couple married sometime in early 2024, and Ohtani made it public only after the season had started.

Tanaka was born in 1996. She was a former power forward for Fujitsu Red Wave in the Women’s Japan Basketball League.

Shohei Ohtani's heartfelt post after daughter's birth before going on a tear at the plate

On April 20, Shohei Ohtani announced a special addition to their family as his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, gave birth to their daughter. Ohtani went on a family leave at the time to be with his wife and newborn.

Ohtani posted on social media with a graphic that involved his dog Dekopin down on the right side of the note, which conveyed the news.

"I am so grateful to my loving wife who gave birth to our healthy beautiful daughter," Ohtani wrote. "To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents. I would also like to thank the Dodgers organization, my teammates, and the fans for their constant support and kind words of encouragement.

"I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to all the medical professionals and everyone who dedicated their support to us, up until this wonderful day."

Shohei Ohtani rejoined the Dodgers after family leave for their game against the Texas Rangers, which resulted in a 1-0 win. Since the birth of his daughter, Ohtani has played 15 games, hitting .350/.469.783 with an OPS of 1.252. He has also hit five doubles, two triples and six home runs in that span.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Ruth John S