With the World Series spotlight on her husband, Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, Mamiko Tanaka has been in the public eye intentionally or unintentionally more than ever.
During Game 1 of the World Series against the New York Yankees Tanaka was seen hanging with Chelsea Freeman rocking her ‘Ohtani’ fit, and then before Game 5 some footage of her playing basketball professionally in Japan and being an “absolute baller” surfaced and went viral.
For Friday’s victory parade in Los Angeles for the 8th franchise championship, Tanaka and Ohtani’s dog Decoy made an appearance at Dodger Stadium without Ohtani. The 27 year old posed for pictures with fans without her husband in a rare public outing outside of a game and certainly without him.
While Decoy stole the show most of the night, the fact Tanaka was interacting with the public was great to see.
Tanaka played for the Fujitsu Red Wave in the Women's Japan Basketball League from 2019 to 2023. She averaged 24 minutes, 7.8 points, and 6.0 rebounds per game in 2022–23.
While there is still a lot of mystery around Tanaka and Ohtani, he revealed the two had been hitched in February on his Instagram where he described his wife as a "normal Japanese woman" and "very special to me.”
It was certainly a special moment on Friday for both Ohtani and Tanaka.
