"That had nothing to do with it" - Shohei Ohtani dismisses marriage's influence on choosing Dodgers over Angels

On February 29, Shohei Ohtani announced via his Instagram that he had, in fact, gotten married. With the news coming as a surprise to most, it was not long before members of the media began to read into the unorthodox announcement.

Known for his private persona, the 29-year old made the important release to his fans via his Instagram account. The post featured a text wall of Japanese script, captioned with the English-language translation, claiming that he had tied to knot to an unnamed individual.

"Ohtani says he's married. “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…”" - Kurumi Mori

Predictably, the development caused a stir in the media, especially in Shohei Ohtani's home nation of Japan, where news tickers interrupted regular scheduled programming to display the news. Despite the significance of the occasion, Shohei Ohtani himself has been remarkably tight-lipped.

The fanfare around the supposed ceremony was so negligible, that even Ohtani's teammates on the Los Angeles Dodgers were surprised. His manager, Dave Roberts, even claimed to be "shocked" about hearing the news.

Among the uncertainty of the occasion, rumors began to surface. When questioned about whether or not his unnamed wife played a role in Ohtani's decision to leave the Los Angeles Angels, and seek a deal elsewhere, Ohtani denied any involvement. According to the Japan Times, Ohtani said:

"She respects my opinion and that is something separate from baseball. My wife felt that she would come with me wherever I went, so that had nothing to do with it. Where I wanted to play baseball was the main thing.”

Last December, Shohei Ohtani signed a $700 million deal with the Dodgers, marking the largest such inking in pro sports history. Under the terms of his deal, some $680 million will be reserved, and paid out incrementally upon the completion of his contract in 2034.

Shohei Ohtani eschews unwanted scrutiny on eve of momentous season

On March 20 and 21, Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers will play the San Diego Padres in Seoul, marking the first time that an MLB game will be played in Korea. Although his wedding may be one of the biggest things ever to happen, Ohtani is clearly not interested in attracting attention to himself as he braces for one of the most highly anticipated seasons of his life.