Shohei Ohtani Welcomes First Baby: Dodgers Star’s Sweet Parenthood Debut
So here’s a midseason plot twist: Dodgers ace Shohei Ohtani and wife Mamiko Tanaka just welcomed their first baby, and suddenly two-way superstar has a whole new role on the roster. On April 1, 2024, the couple broke the big news on Instagram, sharing a simple but heartfelt note: “Very nervous yet super anxious parents here,” they wrote, per People Magazine. Their post has already racked up hundreds of thousands of likes, with fans and teammates flooding the comments section with congratulations.
Ohtani, who dazzles fans with his slugger’s power at the plate and jaw-dropping velocity on the mound, is now proving he can multitask on a different level—swapping his batting gloves for baby bottles. According to MLB.com, the former Angels phenom signed a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers last December. Now, less than a season into his LA tenure, he’s traded in postseason aspirations for sleepless nights and diaper changes. Over on Dodgers.com, manager Dave Roberts praised the new parents: “They’re going to crush this, just like everything else they tackle.”
Mamiko Tanaka, a Kansai Gaidai University grad known for keeping a low profile, is equally excited—and understandably on edge. Sources tell ESPN she’s leaning on close friends and family back in Japan to navigate those first fuzzy weeks. Rumor has it the little one arrived weighing in at a healthy 7 pounds, 10 ounces, though the couple hasn’t publicly confirmed exact stats. Either way, the consensus is clear: baby Ohtani is already off to a strong start.
On the field, Shohei’s season has been nothing short of electric. As of early April, he’s batting a crisp .325 with six homers and logging double-digit strikeouts per appearance. But his biggest headline this week? Fatherhood. Fans on X (formerly Twitter) are already calling it the sweetest game-changer of 2024. Even rival players chimed in. “Major congrats to Sho and Mamiko,” posted Mookie Betts. “Can’t wait to meet the little slugger.”
There’s a certain poetry to Ohtani’s journey: a globe-trotting phenom who conquered Japan’s Pacific League, then rocked MLB on both sides of the ball, now settling down to master the most unpredictable position of all—first-time father. As People notes, the couple wrapped their announcement with a cheeky reminder that time flies, urging followers to “cherish every moment together as a family.”
Anyway, that’s the latest from the Ohtani family dugout. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, MLB.com, ESPN
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
