Shohei Ohtani Reveals He and Mamiko Tanaka Are Expecting a Baby: ‘Can’t Wait for the Little Rookie to Join Our Family’

Shohei Ohtani and wife Mamiko Tanaka in May 2024; a photo shared on Dec. 28, 2024, announcing they’re expecting a baby.Photo:

Getty;Shohei Ohtani/Instagram

 Shohei Ohtani announcing him and his wife are expecting

Shohei Ohtani is going to be a dad!

The Los Angeles Dodgers player, 30, revealed on Instagram that his family roster with wife Mamiko Tanaka, 28, will soon be expanding — with a “little rookie” joining their lineup sometime in 2025.

On Saturday, Dec. 28, he shared that he and Tanaka are expecting their first child alongside a photo of a pink onesie, white shoes and a photo of a sonogram, which he covered with a baby head emoji. Their dog Dekopin (a.k.a. “Decoy”) was also featured in the picture with the baby items.

“Can’t wait for the little rookie to join our family soon,” he captioned the post, which attracted a million likes and 18,000 comments within hours.

The post comes after Ohtani announced that he tied the knot in February on Instagram, though he did not name his wife at the time. He eventually shared a photo with the former pro Japanese basketball player two weeks after the announcement, confirming the rumors that she was his wife.

“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,” Ohtani wrote.

In Japanese, he added, per CNN, “We are still young and [there are] many things we don’t know yet, but we hope you will warmly watch over us,” he continued. “We hope that the two of us (and one dog) will work together to support each other and move forward alongside with our fans.”

Shohei Ohtani and wife Mamiko Ohtani in May 2024.Jerritt Clark/WireImage

Just two weeks after he announced they had married, Ohtani posed with Tanaka and their translators as they boarded a plane to Seoul, South Korea, where the Dodgers were set to play.

The team posted a photo of the two of them on X (formerly Twitter) alongside another photo of Ohtani’s teammate Mookie Betts and his wife, Brianna Hammonds.

Shohei Ohtani and Mamiko Ohtani attend The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation's 2024 Blue Diamond Gala at Dodger Stadium on May 02, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

“Wheels up to Seoul,” they captioned the post, labeling Tanaka as Ohtani’s wife in the alt text of the photo.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Tanaka has also been spotted in the stands of several of Ohtani’s Dodgers games. In one video shared by Dodgers Nation on X in September, she could be seen celebrating with Ohtani and their dog on the field after the team won the NL West.

They have occasionally attended events together outside of the baseball diamond and even made a rare appearance together at the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation Blue Diamond Gala in May 2024, where they posed for a photo with Ed Sheeran.

Related Posts

Buѕter Poѕey Shаreѕ Unexрected Tаkeаwаy From Bryce Eldrіdge Gіаntѕ Cаll-Uр

**Bryce Eldridge’s Big League Audition: A Glimpse into the Future of Giants Baseball** SAN FRANCISCO – For Giants fans watching the final homestand at Oracle Park, there was…

💣 BREAKING REPORT: The Braves are reportedly linked to a $4 million, 4-time All-Star slugger with 265 home runs as a potential replacement if Ha-Seong Kim or Ozzie Albies leave

Brаveѕ lіnked to $4M, 4-tіme аll-ѕtаr рower bаt wіth 265 HRѕ іf Hа-ѕeong Kіm or Ozzіe аlbіeѕ deраrt The аtlаntа Brаveѕ аre heаdіng іnto аn offѕeаѕon full of ѕіgnіfіcаnt…

Kyle Tucker Breаkѕ Sіlence After Cubѕ Fаll Short іn Brutаl Plаyoff Run

The Chicago Cubs’ season has come to a sudden and disappointing end, falling short of the NLCS after a tough postseason stretch against the Padres and the Brewers. Despite their…

Thіѕ Dаy іn Brаveѕ Hіѕtory: Freddіe Freemаn blаѕtѕ the Brаveѕ іnto the 2021 NLCS

Freddіe Freemаn hіtѕ one of the bіggeѕt homerѕ of аtlаntа’ѕ run to the 2021 World ѕerіeѕ Brаveѕ Frаnchіѕe Hіѕtory 1998 – The Brаveѕ ѕcore fіve runѕ іn…

Aѕtroѕ Lіnked to All-Stаr Slugger іn Bold Offѕeаѕon Outfіeld Move

The Houston Astros are heading into an unusually long offseason – their first without postseason baseball since 2016. That alone tells you just how high the standard has been in…

Cаrdіnаlѕ Bаck Chаіm Bloom After Bold Cаll on Olі Mаrmol

Why Keeping Oli Marmol for 2026 Is a Smart Opening Gambit by Chaim Bloom It’s been just over a week since the Cardinals officially handed the keys to their baseball operations…