Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani announces marriage

Baseball star Shohei Ohtani announced Thursday that he has gotten hitched.

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The intensely private 29-year-old shared news of his nuptials in a post in Japanese and English on Instagram.

“Not only have I (begun) a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers but I also have began a new life with someone from my Native country of Japan who is very special to me and I wanted everyone to know I am now married,” he wrote.

“I am excited for what is (to) come and thank you for your support.”

He did not name his new wife or share details about his wedding, although he said he will reveal more in an interview Friday, The Los Angeles Times reported. The post included an image of his dog, Dekopin, which is Japanese for Decoy, according to the newspaper.

“We hope the two of us — and one animal — will work together,” he wrote.

News of Ohtani’s marriage broke in the late afternoon in Japan, where it shot up to become the top story on local television, The Associated Press reported. The news agency described him as “Japan’s biggest celebrity,” though he has always kept quiet about his personal life. Ohtani had not even shared earlier that he had a girlfriend, according to the Times.

Ohtani joined the Dodgers on a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract in December after playing six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, the Times and ESPN reported.

The two-way player will be used as a designated hitter this season after undergoing surgery on his right elbow in September, according to ESPN. He is not expected to pitch again until 2025, CNN reported.

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