When a fan shared that he told his wife about Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s contract with the Dodgers, she responded, “why didn’t he stick with baseball?”
Yoshinobu Yamamoto dominated the game and made most of the New York Yankees look like amateurs, aside from the impressive Juan Soto, in the Los Angesles Dodgers’ 4-2 win in Game 2 of the World Series.
Highlights
- oshinobu Yamamoto knew Shohei Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, long before the public learned about their relationship.
- In March, Ohtani shared another photo on Instagram featuring himself with four others, including his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, and rookie pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto shares similar fears like Ohtani about revealing his wife or girlfriend.
He hadn’t been at his best since coming back from shoulder issues, but he showed everyone why he’s worth the record $325 million contract he signed with the Dodgers.
The Yankees offered $300 million but realized he wouldn’t join them.
In this standout performance, Yamamoto, earning just a bit more than Yankees ace Gerrit Cole for an extra year, delivered the best game of his rookie season on such a big stage.
Adding in the $50.6 million posting fee, he’s proving to be a significant investment, finishing with 6 ⅓ innings and allowing only one hit.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Knew Shohei Ohtani’s Wife Before MLB Fans
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is pretty private about his personal life, especially regarding relationships.
He doesn’t share much, which helps him focus on his baseball career without outside distractions.
Congratulations, #Shohei! & Mamiko! #weddingbells
— 🚶🏻Curtis S. Chin (@CurtisSChin) March 15, 2024
📷: Yakyu Cosmopolitan on X: "Shohei Ohtani (his wife Mamiko Tanaka) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are on their way to #Korea for the Seoul Series next week 🇰🇷⚾️https://t.co/vGROTpa3UP #Shotime https://t.co/RwJj2sIYvW pic.twitter.com/9rSvtlMoZs
One thing is clear: Yamamoto knew Shohei Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, long before the public learned about their relationship.
In March, Ohtani shared another photo on Instagram featuring himself with four others, including his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, and rookie pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
At the same time, the Dodgers shared a photo of Ohtani and his wife on their official X account but initially chose not to reveal her identity.
The two-time American League MVP’s Instagram photo included only “Can’t wait!” in Korean, leaving fans in the dark about the woman’s identity.
In late February, Ohtani surprised everyone by announcing that he had married a Japanese woman, but he didn’t reveal who she was.
Most Japanese media outlets still haven’t named his wife, as she isn’t a public figure, even though the photos hint at her identity.
Eventually, Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers finally shared a photo of his wife on social media for the first time as the team prepared to fly to Seoul for their season-opening series against the San Diego Padres.
His wife, Mamiko Tanaka, is 27 years old and used to play basketball in Japan’s W League. The Dodgers confirmed her identity to various media outlets in the U.S.
As Yamamoto stood beside them, people commented that he looked shorter than Ohtani’s wife.
Shohei Otani’s wife looks taller than Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
斉藤一博
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Won’t Be Announcing His Private Life Anytime Soon Like Shohei Ohtani
Fans reacted to Shohei Ohtani’s announcement with surprise, saying things like,
“Literally no one knew this besides him and his family (and maybe Ippei). There was no buzz, no rumors—just nothing. It really came out of nowhere!”
Reddit User
In response, they said,
“That’s how it is in Japan; the fandom can be intense. There was a figure skater who had to get a divorce just three months after marrying because of the stalking and harassment they faced.”
Reddit User
#MLB #WorldSeries
— Deporte Total Venezuela⚾️⚽️🏀 (@Deportetotalven) October 27, 2024
🔥 Dodgers pasó la escoba en los Ángeles ⚾🇺🇸
Los Dodgers de los Ángeles se llevaron el segundo juego de la Serie Mundial 4-2 apoyados en la magnífica apertura de Yoshinobu Yamamoto, quien dejó línea de 6.1IL, 1H, 1CP, 2BB, 4K pic.twitter.com/zFtFoz29jT
Fans pointed out that last year, Yuzuru Hanyu, considered one of the most significant figure skaters ever and the same age as Ohtani, got married but was divorced just a few months later.
The media discovered the identity of his wife, who is a non-celebrity, and began reporting on her, leading to harassment for her and her family.
Many expressed their hopes that Ohtani and his wife would not face similar difficulties and wished them the best.
Even Kei Nishikori, the tennis player, has mentioned in the past that he enjoys living in relative anonymity in Florida, especially compared to the constant press and attention he faced in Japan.
26-year-old, Yoshinobu Yamamoto shares similar fears like Ohtani about revealing his wife or girlfriend. He worries that, like others in the spotlight, they might face unwanted attention or harassment if their identities become public.
Additional Information
- Yamamoto became only the second player in professional baseball history to win the Triple Crown for three consecutive years, following Korean pitcher Sun Dong-yol.
- After the 2023 NPB season, he signed a 12-year contract worth $325 million with the Dodgers.
- His first name, Yoshinobu, comes from a combination of “Yoshi,” which is derived from his mother’s name, and “Nobu,” taken from his father’s name.
