In a year filled with remarkable achievements, Shohei Ohtani ends 2024 with another joyous announcement: he's going to be a dad! The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar shared the news on Instagram with a heartwarming photo featuring his dog, Decoy, a baby onesie, tiny shoes, and a partially obscured sonogram. While the sonogram was covered with a boy emoji, the pink onesie and blue shoes playfully left the baby's gender a mystery. Ohtani captioned the photo with an enthusiastic, "Can't wait for the little rookie to join our family soon!"
This news comes on the heels of an incredible season for Ohtani, the first in his massive ten-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers. Despite not pitching due to elbow surgery recovery, he achieved a historic feat by becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. This performance earned him his third MVP award in just four years. While his postseason performance wasn't as dominant, he celebrated a World Series victory with the Dodgers over the New York Yankees.
Earlier this year, Ohtani revealed his marriage to Mamiko, whom he described as a "normal Japanese woman," though the exact date of their wedding remains undisclosed. He expressed his preference to keep the marriage private until after the season to avoid distractions. This exciting baby news also coincides with reports that fellow MVP Aaron Judge and his wife are expecting their first child.
Ohtani's 2024 season saw him lead the majors in runs scored (134) and total bases (411). He topped the National League in home runs (54), RBIs (130), on-base percentage (.390), slugging percentage (.646), and boasted a remarkable 9.2 bWAR. His .310 batting average was second only to Luis Arráez, and his 59 stolen bases were just shy of Elly De La Cruz's league-leading 64. With three MVP awards under his belt, Ohtani joins an elite group of only 12 players to achieve this honor.
