Reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani cherishes three things in life which are baseball, his wife Mamiko Tanaka, and his cute pup Decoy. Time and again Ohtani has been seen spending time with his furry friend. They travel to various places together and Dekopin is avidly seen spectating Shohei’s games inside the ballpark.
Ohtani has over 8.5 million followers on social media and has endorsements deals with some of the biggest brands in America. He frequently posts happy memories from his life with his furry friend. In his latest social media post he captured some cute moments of Decoy sleeping alongside his plushy dog.
Take a look at the images here:
Screenshots from the story on Instagram
Decoy is a Dutch Kooikerhondje whose Japanese name is ‘Dekopin’ which means “flicking someone’s forehead.” He is a fan favorite at Dodger Stadium and is even considered Dodgers Most Valuable Pet. Shohei Ohtani was accompanied by both his wife Mamiko Tanaka and their furry friend onboard the parade bus in Los Angeles.
Dekopin sat peacefully beside Ohtani in 2023 and 2024 during the MLB Network’s live presentation for the AL and NL MVP awards. Shohei has now won three MVP titles in his seven seasons in the MLB, two with the Angels in AL and one with the Dodgers in NL.
Shohei Ohtani carried the ballclub on his back despite having not been able to show his searing two-way abilities last season. He is scheduled to start pitching sometime in the 2025 MLB season.
Decoy threw the ceremonial first pitch to Shohei Ohtani on their bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium
The Dodgers celebrated Shohei Ohtani and Decoy’s bobblehead day in August. People lined up in long queues even before the gates were opened at Dodger Stadium. Reflecting on the same Ohtani via his interpreter Will Ireton said:
“I was surprised as well when I came to the park with my family. I wasn’t really aware of the situation. I thought it was some other special event going on.”
Even more special sight on the night was Dekopin throwing the innaugural pitch in the cutest fashion as Ohtani sat behind the plate. Reflecting on his furry friend’s first pitch, Shohei said:
“It’s a really special night. I hope to buy some special snack for him.”
Ohtani made the $700 million move to the Dodgers and helped them win the World Series. He did so quite brilliantly in his maiden season with the ballclub, on the back of some amazing offensive performances consistently throughout 2024.
