Shohei Ohtani and Wife Mamiko Tanaka Expecting First Baby

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Shohei Ohtani just scored a home run with this announcement.

The Dodgers pitcher shared Dec. 27 that he is set to become a dad. Alongside a pic of his dog Decoy lying beside a pale pink, ruffled baby onesie, a pair of baby sneakers and a sonogram covered by a baby face emoji, the baseball star wrote on Instagram, "Can’t wait for the little rookie to join our family soon!"

The 30-year-old, who is married to former pro basketball player Mamiko Tanaka, offered no further details.

Ohtani, who many baseball fans consider to be among the most skilled MLB players of all time, has largely kept his personal life private. The star designated hitter had announced his marriage, without naming Tanaka or previously noting he even was in a relationship, in February.

"Not only have I begun a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers but I also have begun a new life with someone from my native country of Japan who is very special to me," he wrote on Instagram at the time, "and I wanted everyone to know I am now married. I am excited for what is to come and thank you for your support."

The baseball player later addressed his decision to make the announcement about his marriage the way he did.

"I felt like it was good timing because it was before the season,” he said at a press conference in February, Sports Illustrated reported. "I didn’t want any distractions when the season started. And I would have liked to announce it earlier, but there was some paperwork issues that lagged the whole process. So that was the whole deal."

He noted that his wife is a "normal Japanese woman" who he has known for three or four years and added that he proposed to her in 2023, the outlet said.

In March, a photo of Ohtani and his wife was posted on the Dodgers' social media, confirming her identity.

Tanaka, who played for the Fujitsu Red Wave team in the Women's Japan Basketball League, has since been spotted at a few of her husband's games. She also joined him at the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation's 2024 Blue Diamond Gala in May and the two were photographed together at a Los Angeles Lakers game earlier this month.

Ohtani had also reportedly penned a now-viral list about his hopes and dreams, including about starting a family, when he was in high school.

According to Sports Illustrated, which cited a post on Reddit that referenced a Japanese TV show, the athlete had written he wanted to get married and win the World Series by age 26 and have his first child, a son, by the time he was 28.

In October, in what marked his first MLB postseason appearance, the 2024 National League MVP helped the Dodgers win the 2024 World Series.