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Shohei Ohtani Wife: Exploring The Couple’s Relationship Timeline

Hafiz Usman Aftab

Dec 12

Shohei Ohtani is the most popular baseball figure heading into the 2024 season. This pitcher for the Dodgers may be winning headlines as he breaks records on his way to the World Series. However, we must remember his marriage news, which took the world by storm earlier this year. The report of February 2024 shares that the MLB’s highest-paid player went on Instagram and said that he had begun a new chapter of his life. Since no one knew the woman’s name, it sent countless people asking, “Who is Shohei Ohtani wife?”

It has been revealed that he is married to Mamiko Tanaka, a professional basketball player. The audience didn’t hear much from Tanaka at the beginning of the season. However, it seems Tanaka is portraying her husband’s role as a baseball WAG. So here are some details on their love story: how it progressed and where they are now.

Meet Mamiko Tanaka: Shohei Ohtani's Wife

It's no wonder that one of the biggest stars in MLB fell in love with another athlete. Shohei Ohtani is married to former baller Mamiko Tanaka. She was born in Japan on December 11, 1996. Tanaka’s basketball journey began in junior high school. She pursued higher academic education at Waseda University in Tokyo and was trained with the national under-24 team. Furthermore, she won a silver medal with a team at the Summer Universiade in 2017. Tanaka signed her first professional contract in April 2019 when she moved to the Fujitsu Red Wave team. It is a Women`s Japan Basketball League club. In 2023, Tanaka retired after spending four seasons with a team and winning one championship.

What does Mamiko Tanaka do for a living? 

As of 2024, there are no details regarding Mamiko Tanaka’s current occupation. She is a retired Japanese professional basketball player. She played as a forward/center and was part of a team member of the Fujitsu Red Wave of the Women's Japan Basketball League. During her last season in 2023, she participated in 28 games. 

She registered a field goal shooting percentage of 47.7% and a free throw shooting percentage of 69.9%. Her international sports career was successful, and she continued representing Japan in her younger years. She has two gold and two silver medals in her tribute. Tanaka announced her retirement from professional sports in 2023 and explained her decision to quit for "many reasons" in an interview.

Shohei Ohtani and Mamiko Tanaka's Relationship Timeline

We do not know when or where Shohei Ohtani met his wife. However, due to their reticent nature, we can assume their relationship was romantic. We can piece together much of it as a timeline beginning with Ohtani's marriage announcement in early 2024. Read about their romance step by step in this article.

February 29, 2024: Shohei Ohtani Announces Marriage to Mamiko Tanaka

His marriage surprised his legions of fans. On February 29, 2024, Ohtani revealed in an Instagram post that he was married. His supporters expect Ohtani to be an introvert. "To all my friends and fans worldwide, I have an important message to share," he stated in Japanese in the post. “In addition to the new chapter I have opened with the Dodgers, I have opened a new chapter that is more important. Because it involved finding love with someone from Japan. Thank you for your support and look forward to more.”

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March 14, 2024: The Couple Makes Their Social Media Debut

Although Shohei Ohtani did not mention his wife's name in his first message announcing his marriage, it’s just a matter of time for the world to know her. Only two weeks later, the Dodgers' X account posted a photo of Ohtani and Tanaka with teammate Mookie Betts and his wife. They flew to Seoul for an international match.

May 2, 2024: Make Their Red Carpet Debut

Finally, Shohei Ohtani and his spouse decided to give Ohtani his red-carpet wishes. They took the vows at the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation 2024 Blue Diamond Gala. As they entered the function, the two took photographs in matching black outfits and mingled with pop artist Ed Sheeran.

July 16, 2024: Mamiko Tanaka Joins Shohei Ohtani at the All-Star Game

Tanaka’s husband was also at an MLB All-Star baseball game in Texas in August. The couple waved to the fans as they walked down the red carpet, and Tanaka's husband returned to the field for game four.

October 2024: Shohei Ohtani's Wife Celebrates His Advancement

Ohtani kept up his winning performance during the postseason as the regular season wound down. The Dodgers booked a place in the World Series after beating the Padres, the Mets, and her wife. She was out cheering her husband from the stands and on the field with him and their dog.

What Has Shohei Ohtani Said About Their Relationship With His Spouse?

He has said very little! Ohtani stated that he and his wife first met two years ago. Through a translator, Ohtani explained, “I do not really like discussing the details of when I got married, but she is a typical Japanese woman.” 

“Indeed, it was great timing since it was before the season. I wanted no interruptions when the season started. I would have tried to do it sooner, but unresolved paperwork issues slowed the process. He also added, “She understands my career quite well. She would go anywhere I wanted to play. So it was my choice to go to the LA Dodgers.

She is Her Husband’s Number 1 Supporter

When Ohtani and Tanaka arrived in Seoul for Ohtani's Dodgers' season opener, they were greeted by a crowded stadium. The two walked from the airplane to a waiting limousine and posed for pictures in the car. Ohtani wore a black training suit and a cap, while Tanaka wore an all-black dress. The American news agency reported that several of his fans saw him last evening. And he gave them a brief wave as Tanaka, smiling, took a few steps behind Ohtani.

She attended and supported him in September 2024. In one recent video from Dodgers Nation on X (formerly Twitter), Tanaka appeared on the field with Ohtani and their dog after the Dodgers clinched the NL West title.

Shohei Ohtani Net Worth 2024

Shohei Ohtani's net worth stands at $50 million. It might change about other undertakings or when income from the future arrives. Such a sum should reflect his successful MLB career and the footings of contracts he had experienced. Shohei Ohtani's net worth increased significantly in December 2023, when he signed a ten-year contract. This contract is worth a staggering $700 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This deal now stands as the most significant contract in ML, Tory. As a result, his net worth increased significantly.

His Charity Work

NBC News says that Shohei Ohtani is known for charity work outside of the field. In 2024, he and the LA Dodgers donated $1 million to relieve the earthquake victims in Japan. In November 2023, he also donated 60,000 youth gloves to 20,000 elementary schools in Japan.


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