Shohei Ohtani’s free agency featured a lot of wild rumors. One of them even involved a claim that his dog might offer a hint about his ultimate destination.
Ohtani was officially introduced as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, and the question actually came up at his press conference. There was a rumor that Ohtani’s dog’s name actually shared a name with one of the teams he was considering, so the two-way star was asked to clarify.
The rumor, it turns out, was false. The dog’s Japanese name is Dekopin, but it has a fitting American name: Decoy.
Shohei Ohtani has named his dog Dekopin in Japanese, but he also has an American name: Decoy!
👋 Decoy! pic.twitter.com/9CatffBmcf
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) December 14, 2023
It’s somewhat close to Dodger, but clearly, the name would not have provided much of a hint. It still made for a great news cycle.
Ohtani’s dog first came to public attention during the AL MVP announcement, which led to a viral moment. Perhaps Dodgers fans will get some more glimpses of the dog in the years to come.
