Beyond the Diamond: A Look at Shohei Ohtani’s Endearing Journey With Pets From Childhood to Stardom

Friend, Phenom, and Prodigy: Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani has been known by many names over the years. It turns out that the legendary slugger is an avid lover of animals as well. Adding one more feather to his crown, Ohtani has seldom failed to show his appreciation for any furry friend he has met to date. His fondness was recently displayed after this year’s MLB MVP win.

Ohtani’s pet dog has been the focus of many appearances he has made over his tenure in the MLB. The slugger doesn’t shy while getting any chance to scratch a pair of fluffy ears—he loves cats, too! On that note, it’s worth revisiting the beautiful moments he has shared with one animal or another over the course of years!

Shohei Ohtani and his first pet

Many pictures have surfaced over the years showing Ohtani and a four-legged friend. That brings a question to mind: when did he find his first love for pets? It was during his childhood that Ohtani got the chance to bond with a golden retriever named “Ace”. The Ohtani family welcomed Ace when Ohtani was just in the first grade. 

Shotime’s love for his first furry companion reached a level where he began calling him his “younger brother,” according to Sports World News. Apparently, Ace was instrumental in the two-way ace’s decision to join the Nippon Ham Fighters. Kayoko, the matriarch of the Ohtani household, was won over by the NHF staff with their sweet interactions with Ace.

As life goes on, Ohtani’s time with brother Ace started facing scarcity as his name spread like wildfire in the professional baseball scene. They used to meet during New Year’s family reunions. However, Ohtani missed an opportunity for the same due to a prior commitment.

Following that, after being his constant companion for sixteen years, Ace had to bid an unwelcome goodbye to the family. Ohtani still remembers his time with him. Thankfully, that missing place in his heart was soon filled by another woofy buddy.

“Malört is my name; playing with the Unicorn is my game!”

Shohei Ohtani’s current pet, Malört, seems to hold a special place in the slugger’s heart as well. He recently celebrated his 2023 MVP win with him, and other dogs were present during the ceremony. Baseball card company Topps even made a special card for them!

That included the Angels’ guard dog that he played with during his time on the team. His happy aura while being around animals seems to have radiated with many fans’ sentiments as well. Some named their dog after Ohtani’s Ace, while some named their dogs after Ohtani himself!

Read More: Years Before His MLB Superstardom, Shohei Ohtani Amazed Onlookers With His Practice Displays

It is to be noted that Ohtani does not let go of any chances of meeting with any other animals in any following events. An instance such as that was shown in a recent Twitter video!

A show of feline gracefulness in a chance meeting

MLB posted a video on their Twitter (X) today that showed Ohtani in a cap, getting ready to comment on his Players Choice win. Suddenly, a black cat was seen barging into the room through the Dutch door behind them. The fan-favorite Shotime couldn’t hold back his grins upon being subjected to the welcome intrusion! His eyes reflected the same.

The phenom kept laughing, watching the meowsome friend roam around. He was seen eagerly waiting to meet the feline when it was brought back a while later. Ohtani and the cat both seemed entranced by each other as it welcomed him with its right paw!

MLB.com thinks that a bonus category should be added to their wards list for “Outstanding Animal Companion” of the year. Should we begin collecting votes for it? Without a doubt, Ohtani would be securing the award unanimously in this case as well. Surprisingly, Shohei Ohtani used to engage with pets during his time with the LA Angels.

When a dog gets to play around with Shohei Ohtani

Ohtani was often seen interacting with the Angels’ in-house pup. Other than that, he was also once seen playing around a practice field, chasing a tiny puppy. It doesn’t need to be said that the introverted star would rather spend his time playing with friends with cute paws than mingling with teammates who would make his focus shift from the game.

Will we see the Ohtani family bring any new furry friends to one of Shotime’s upcoming games? Follow this space to learn more!

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