Shohei Ohtani is MARRIED! LA's most eligible bachelor reveals he secretly wed a mystery Japanese woman during the winter - just weeks after signing historic $700MILLION contract with the Dodgers

Japanese baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani revealed on Thursday that he is now married but kept the identity of his wife a mystery.

The Los Angeles Dodgers player, who signed a $700million contract with the team in December, said he was beginning not only 'a new chapter in my career but I also 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.

'I am excited for what is (to) come and thank you for your support,' the 29-year-old said in an Instagram post that racked up almost 1.5million likes in just one hour.

Ohtani, who won his second American League Most Valuable Player award in six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels last year, included a picture of his dog at the bottom of the post but no picture of his wife. 

Ohtani is notoriously private and despite the huge interest in his life, shares little about how he spends his time away from baseball. His Instagram account, with 7.4million followers, has just 54 posts and they are all about the sport he plays.

Japanese baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani revealed on Thursday that he is now married

Ohtani recently signed a record $700million, 10-year Los Angeles Dodgers contract 

Ohtani, pictured with Ronald Acuna Jr of the Atlanta Braves, is a notoriously private figure 

'The two of us (and our dog) will support each other and we hope to move forward together with all of our fans,' Ohtani also wrote in Japanese in his overnight statement. 

He added that he and his wife were 'still immature in many ways, but we would appreciate your kind support'.

Ohtani, nicknamed 'Sho-Time', has achieved stratospheric fame in Japan and abroad but has held his privacy in the highest regard. Last year, he declined to reveal his dog's name after the canine appeared alongside him as he accepted his 2023 American League MVP Award.

It prompted speculation on social media that it was named after one of the teams trying to sign him.

And when Ohtani finally announced he was joining the Dodgers, his new Los Angeles teammate Walker Buehler jokingly tweeted: 'So the dog was named Dodger after all?' 

Ohtani would later explain that his dog is called 'Decoy' and that he thought the Japanese name - Dekopin - would be difficult for Americans to pronounce.

Known for his skills as a pitcher as well as a batter, Ohtani helped Japan win last year's World Baseball Classic.

Ohtani left the Los Angeles Angels last year for free agency after failing to reach the MLB playoffs.

Ohtani was hesitant to reveal the name of his dog last year when he won an AL MVP award

Ohtani said in a statement he is starting a new chapter in his playing career and his own life

Ohtani joined the Los Angeles Angels for the 2018 season before now joining the Dodgers 

Following weeks of frenzied speculation, he joined the Dodgers in December. His 10-year deal worth $700million was the richest contract in the history of North American sport.

Ohtani will not pitch for the Dodgers this season, though. He had to have surgery on a torn ligament his throwing elbow and will not pitch until 2025. 

He was operated on by Dr Neal ElAttrache - the same surgeon who operated on Aaron Rodgers when he tore his Achilles minutes into his New York Jets debut in September.

Ohtani made his Dodgers pre-season debut on Tuesday, smashing a home run in his new team's win over the Chicago White Sox. 

The team is currently based in Arizona for spring training and they start the season on March 20 in Seoul, South Korea, against San Diego Padres. The Dodgers play later on Thursday against Cincinnati Reds.

In his Instagram post, Ohtani said he would hold a press conference on Friday, asking the media to refrain from approaching his wife or her family members. 

Ohtani is based in Arizona with the Dodgers at present, preparing for the new MLB season

Ohtani and the Dodgers start the new season on March 20 in South Korea vs. San Diego Padres

Born in northern Japan, Ohtani's father Toru played baseball at a semi-professional baseball player who retired at 25 with a shoulder injury. His mother, Kayoko, played badminton to the same level and in an interview with MLB in 2017, Ohtani joked he still loses to his mom.

'I can’t beat her in badminton to this day,' he said at the time. 'She’s tall and she’s been playing badminton for a long time.'

As a child, Ohtani was a high-school baseball prodigy who initially wanted to skip the domestic league and head straight to the majors.

Instead, he signed with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2013 and spent five seasons there before joining the Angels.

Ohtani's every move is headline news in Japan, with his achievements a matter of national pride. 

His marriage announcement was quickly splashed across Japanese media outlets but on the west coast, where he is situated, he announced the news in the middle of the night.