Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani’s love for his pet, whom he calls “Decoy”, is evident. Moreover, he has also shared some cute moments with him on camera, and without a doubt, both are enjoying each other’s company.

Japanese swimmer and Olympic Gold medalist Daiya Seto shared a heartfelt anecdote about his best friend, Shohei Ohtani, and his first interaction with “Decoy” in 2018.

He mentioned that when Ohtani first saw him at a pet store, he was too cute, adding that he wouldn’t get married if he got him:

“The other day Shohei told me he found a baby Dobermann at a pet store in LA and he was almost getting it because it is too cute,” Seto said. “But Sho said, ‘If I get him, I think I’ll never get married.’”

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After signing a blockbuster 10-year, $700 million deal, the LA Dodgers superstar revealed his dog’s name:

“His name is Dekopin. That’s a Japanese name. I figured it’d be hard for American people to pronounce it. He has an American name, it’s Decoy,” Ohtani said.

In Japanese, Dekopin means “flicking one’s forehead.”

Earlier in an interview with the NHK, Ohtani revealed that Decoy’s existence plays an important part in his everyday routine as they wake up, eat and go to bed together.

First sight of Shohei Ohtani’s dog

Shohei Ohtani’s pet first came into the limelight during the 2023 AL MVP announcement. The video of the duo celebrating Ohtani’s MVP with a high-five soon went viral, leaving fans in awe of the pet’s skills.

Your unanimous AL MVP, Shohei Ohtani, receiving a high-five from his dog. pic.twitter.com/gXpCyqa2eH

— Dan Chibnall (@bookowl) November 17, 2023

The 2023 season was another incredible year for the Japanese superstar. He won the AL MVP honors unanimously after slashing .304/.412/.654. In 135 games, he had 151 hits, 44 home runs, 95 RBIs and 102 runs scored. He started 23 games on the mound, pitching 132.0 innings with an ERA of 3.14, 167 strikeouts and a 10-5 record.

This offseason, he signed a multi-year record-breaking deal with the Dodgers, and just when things were supposed to stop, his team onboarded his fellow countryman Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million contract on top of a $50 million signing bonus.

Now he awaits postseason success with a superteam assembled in the Dodgers.