Shohei Ohtani Says Seoul MLB Games Will Be ‘Great Memories’ for Him and Wife
17:51 JST, March 16, 2024
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani says the upcoming Major League Baseball opener against the San Diego Padres in Seoul will be “great memories” for him and his wife, but he’ll attempt to focus on baseball.
Ohtani spoke to journalists with Los Angeles Dodgers teammates at a packed press conference on Saturday, a day after he arrived here with his wife Mamiko Tanaka.
Ohtani said it was the first time for his wife “to come with me to a game like this.”
So I think it’s going to be really great memories for both of us. But like I said earlier, I have one job to focus on. It’s baseball, Ohtani said via an interpreter.
In late February, Ohtani, 29, said in his Instagram post that he was married to “a normal Japanese woman” that he had known for three to four years. But he hadn’t said exactly who she was, until he posted another Instagram post with a photo of him and Tanaka on Thursday.
Tanaka, 27, is a former professional basketball player, who played for the Fujitsu Red Wave in the Women’s Japan Basketball League from 2019-23.
The Dodgers-Padres games on March 20-21 will be Ohtani’s debut with the Dodgers, and they will be the first MLB regular season games in Seoul.
In December, Ohtani signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract to join the Dodgers. He underwent surgery on his right elbow last September and will not pitch this season. He will be used as a designated hitter and there is a possibility he could play in the field.
Ohtani says he is aware of the intense international media focus on the games in Seoul.
I appreciate all the attention. Obviously, attention is always great, being a baseball player and being able to play with these great guys next to me. I’m really excited, Ohtani said, referring to his two teammates speaking at the news conference, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
I’m really used to the attention, but I just try to focus on what’s in front of me, whatever it is.
"Sports" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
New Uniforms to Protect Athletes against Secret Photographing
-
Shohei Ohtani, Wife Mamiko Walk Red Carpet Before All-Star Game; Jacket Lined with His Dog Dekopin
-
Onosato Moves Up to Sekiwake for Nagoya Tourney
-
Japan Olympic Athletes Gather for Official Launch Ceremony; Later Attend Send-Off Party with 6,000 Fans
-
Struggling Yokohama F Marinos Sack Harry Kewell
JN ACCESS RANKING
- Prices of over 10,000 Food and Beverage Items to Rise This Year; Figure is down from over 30,000 Last Year
- Sony Group to End Production of Blu-ray Discs; Market Has Shrunk Due To Growth Of Hard Disk Drives, Streaming
- Japan Ministry Concerned Over Same-Sex Couple Receiving City-Issued Resident Certificates Referring to ‘Common-Law Husband’
- Japan Court OKs Sex Change without Surgery
- Pacific Islands Leaders Not Totally in Tune on China Approach as Meeting Ends in Tokyo; Positions Differ on Treated Water, Joint Drills