Just Like Shohei Ohtani, Hideki Matsui’s Secret Trip Down the Aisle Defeated Captain Derek Jeter’s Prediction

Be it on the field or off of it, baseball’s history always finds a way to repeat itself. Shohei Ohtani’s unexpected marriage announcement resonates with a time back in 2008. Hideki Matsui’s secret wedding 16 years ago amazed not only the fans but also the Yankees’ icon Derek Jeter, who was reportedly in a bet with the then-newly wed.

Hideki Matsui, who has been a former Yankees, announced his marriage news all of a sudden to make the world as well as his teammates stunned. On a similar note, his then-teammate and MLB icon, Derek Jeter, opened his heart out as the latter made a prediction about their marriage at that time. Now, after so many years, upon getting the news of Ohtani marriage, the MLB community could potentially identify a resemblance between the two Japanese aces.

Hideki Matsui’s secret marriage defeated Jeter’s prediction

The two icons, as well as teammates, Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui, were tied in a bet, as remarked by the Japanese legend. He said, “We’ve got a bet going.” Furthermore, while revealing about the bet, the same stated, “If he doesn’t get married within a year, I win the bet. Basically, the bet was, whoever gets married first wins,” indicating their playful jab at each other.

The year was 2008 when the former Japanese outfielder and designated hitter announced that he got married to a then “25-year-old civilian.” He also added that she “had been formerly working in a reputable position at a highly respected company” when revealing about his secret life partner.

Though the news came with a festive spirit, it also conveyed the defeat of another phenomenal icon, Derek Jeter, who was then-reportedly single and was actively dating. Later, he got married to the former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Hannah Davis in 2016.

The former outfielder Matsui had been sharing a close bond with the former shortstop, Derek Jeter, during his association with the Pinstripes from 2003 to 2009. Despite the close relation between Matsui and Jeter, the latter didn’t hold any idea about his teammate’s impending marriage.

As he protested, “I didn’t know he was gonna get married this spring,” when talking about their bet money. Besides identifying the incident as ‘real sad,’ he mockingly took a jab at his teammate, stating, “That’s not hilarious”. Now, after around 16 years, the MLB community has once again encountered a similar incident with another Japanese phenom, Shohei Ohtani.

Read More: From Hideki Matsui to Masahiro Tanaka, Japanese Players Who Thrived with the Yankees

Ohtani holds a significant resemblance to Matsui

Similar to the icon Matsui, who hails from his own country, Shohei Ohtani also surprised the world with his marriage news. Not only that, identical to Matsui, he also demonstrated his preference for keeping secrets about the lucky woman. However, he didn’t keep his fans in a complete maze as he revealed trivial details about his secret life partner, identifying her as a “normal Japanese woman.” Besides that, he also provided a timeline of his relationship, stating they had known each other for like three to four years.

Read More: Shohei Ohtani’s Big Move Hinted at Marriage Plans Way Before His Official Announcement

Apart from the icons’ preference for keeping secrets about their partners, they borrow even more similarities, as they both choose their partners from their native lands and picture their preferences for ordinary people instead of celebrities. Fans, on the other hand, though stunned by such bombastic news at the same time, they cherish such surprises wholeheartedly.