Apparently re-writing the record books was not quite enough for Shohei Ohtani. Now he's writing his own book.
The three-time MVP and two-way superstar will soon be able to add published author to his lengthy list of accomplishments. Ohtani announced in an Instagram post on Thursday that he had co-written a children's book that is set to hit bookshelves in February 2026. The subject matter will probably not shock you.
It's about Decoy, Ohtani's beloved pup, and is titled "Decoy Saves Opening Day." The plot seems loosely based on real-life events, centering around Decoy throwing out the first pitch on Opening Day. Though it wasn't actually for the season opener, Decoy did throw out a celebrity first pitch last season, coinciding with a bobblehead giveaway that featured both Ohtani and his dog.
The plot thickens in the book, though, when Decoy forgets his lucky baseball at home. "Can he get his ball and make it back to the stadium before it's too late?" teases the blurb on the Harper Collins website. You'll have to wait until the winter to find out how this story ends.
Ohtani is hoping to use the book's sales to support animal rescue nonprofits, according to the publisher.
Because Ohtani is a true dog dad, the announcement of the new book came alongside some Decoy content, with a photo of the pup next to a galley of the book and a few bonus videos of him cooling off with a swim. It's a tough life being a canine celebrity.