Shohei Ohtani has had more bobblehead nights as a Dodger than seasons on the team.
Los Angeles hosted its second bobblehead giveaway for the designated hitter Wednesday in just his first season with the club. The first time Ohtani was honored with a replica of himself came on May 16, with the bobblehead posed in his batting stance.
The second time around, however, Ohtani's bobblehead includes a famous guest—his dog, Decoy. The 30-year-old Japanese superstar arrived at Dodgers Stadium ahead of the game with Decoy in tow, giving the pup a share of the limelight.
Here's everything to know about Ohtani's dog, who joined the two-way player on his second blockbuster giveaway night.
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Shohei Ohtani bobblehead night
The first 40,000 entrants to Dodger Stadium on Wednesday will receive the bobblehead, which features a smiling Ohtani in his gray uniform holding Decoy on his left side. Even the packaging for the giveaway is sleek, with a retro feel and Japanese script printed on to cardboard.
Even the box for Shohei Ohtani and Decoy's bobblehead is a collector's item 🤩
— MLB (@MLB) August 28, 2024
Featuring photos of Decoy, Sho's career stats and more! pic.twitter.com/WzjwCgw9SK
There are also a select number of golden versions of the bobblehead available, one of which was given to Ohtani upon his arrival to the stadium.
Fans lined up outside the venue before noon ahead of the team's 7:10 p.m. PT matchup with the Baltimore Orioles to get their hands on the bobblehead. With a stadium capacity of just over 56,000, a sellout would mean several thousand fans would miss out on the giveaway.
Fans in LA started getting in line for Shohei Ohtani's bobblehead giveaway over 7 hours before the game's scheduled start time 🤯 pic.twitter.com/MsO7vPGbfW
— MLB (@MLB) August 28, 2024
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What kind of dog does Shohei Ohtani have?
Decoy — whose Japanese name is "Dekopin," according to Ohtani — is a Nederlandse Kooikerhondje. The Dutch breed often worked as a duck decoy for hunters, which perhaps inspired the name for Ohtani's pup.
Ohtani's dog made his first public appearance on a 2023 MLB Network broadcast when Ohtani won his second American League MVP honor in three seasons.
Since then, the MLB star has featured Decoy on a number of occasions, including on the inside of his jacket for the 2024 All-Star Game Red Carpet and his cleats during Players' Weekend.