<figure id="attachment_433859" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1771px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433859"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="95707898"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/f3ccdd27d2000e3f9255a7e3e2c48800.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433859" class="wp-caption-text">The couple appeared together at the &#8220;Red Carpet Show&#8221; held just before the MLB All-Star Game on July 16. They looked a bit shy.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Ohtani’s Most Stunning Best Scenes</h2>
Ohtani and His Wife Captivate the Nation with a Second Consecutive Red-Carpet Appearance
On July 16 (Japan time), Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers appeared with his wife, Mamiko (28), at the annual MLB All-Star “Red Carpet Show.” Regarding his outfit that day, Ohtani revealed, “I chose my clothes to match my wife’s color.” Mamiko wore a pale orange dress inspired by the yellow peaches native to Georgia, the event’s host state, while Ohtani donned a charcoal gray suit. Bathed in the flashes from media from both Japan and the U.S., they became the stars of the season’s most anticipated baseball event.
FRIDAY looks back on Ohtani’s “BEST Scenes” through July, capturing decisive moments on camera.
Ohtani’s 2025 season began in Japan. In the season opener on March 18 at the Tokyo Dome, he recorded two hits. The following day, he hit his first home run of the season to right field, electrifying the Japanese public. Baseball analyst Nachi Tomonari commented:
“From the opener through May, Ohtani showed unstoppable batting. Leading the league in runs scored, he established himself firmly as a leadoff hitter. Even as his batting average dropped, he maintained a high on-base percentage, creating opportunities for those who followed. Notably, he has already hit 10 leadoff home runs this season (as of July 22). While he often bats second now, having a power hitter at the top of the lineup is a significant threat to opposing teams.”
Interestingly, Tomonari points to an unexpected “BEST Scene” from Ohtani’s season through July:
“In a four-game series against the Padres at Dodger Stadium in June, Ohtani was hit by pitches twice. While most players would be furious and possibly start a brawl, Ohtani calmed his teammates, holding back the bench with his left hand. His motto, ‘Getting frustrated means losing,’ shone through in that moment. The opposing pitcher was suspended for two games, a severe penalty that showed MLB’s unified stance in protecting Ohtani, reaffirming his superstar status.”
Former MLB player Keiichi Yabu highlighted Ohtani’s two-way player comeback on June 17 after 663 days:
“It’s otherworldly that Ohtani uses a Major League mound for a ‘tune-up’ appearance (laughs). Although he had some control issues, seeing him pitch is a blessing. After the first game, he commanded multiple pitches with high precision—fastballs over 100 mph (161 km/h), sweeping sliders, power sinkers, and vertical sliders with sharp drop-offs that confuse even experienced batters. His three consecutive strikeouts on July 13 against the Giants were spectacular. Ohtani calls his own pitches rather than relying on catcher signals. His ability and baseball IQ allow him to dominate on the mound.”
Yabu also picked Ohtani’s 32nd home run on July 12 as the “BEST Scene” as a batter:
“At Oracle Park, the Giants’ home field, hitting a ball beyond the outfield fence and into the water is called a ‘Splash Hit.’ It’s incredible that a Japanese player achieved this. Having pitched there myself, I know the stadium is enormous with high fences. Still, Ohtani launched a massive 125-meter fly ball to right field that easily cleared the fence.”
Ohtani is expected to produce countless more “BEST Scenes” in the second half of the season.
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="The &quot;BEST SCENE&quot; captured by the camera"></div>
<figure id="attachment_433865" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433865"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="4f975689"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/8759f356efa643ccaf813e111df4743a.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433865" class="wp-caption-text">[Opening Game] In the season opener on March 18, he performed well with two hits, including a double. He fired up the crowd with his now-familiar &#8220;Kike Pose.&#8221;</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_433860" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433860"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="14d748aa"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/3e178414716260882b76d7aaae781c02.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433860" class="wp-caption-text">[First Home Run] The first home run of the season, hit on March 19, barely cleared the right-field fence. Both fans and Shohei himself held their breath as the ball soared.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_433861" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433861"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="7015dfe7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/783eb59262d2fa3bef69f59c0d8f4c1c.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433861" class="wp-caption-text">[No. 10] In the 6th inning of the May 7th game against the Marlins, he swung at the first-pitch slider and hit a massive home run into the upper deck, giving this smug look.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_433862" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433862"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="58882df6"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/21cabac78cd606cb2000864d66a8a8ff.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433862" class="wp-caption-text">[No. 12] In the 9th inning of the May 10th game against the Diamondbacks, he hit a go-ahead three-run homer and responded with both hands to the standing fans.</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_433872" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433872"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="1d94b502"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/4ff999d99f05ca0c7e347328211c7d37.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433872" class="wp-caption-text">[Return Appearance] A shot from his return appearance on June 17. Perhaps from the joy of pitching, he smiled even while undergoing the umpire’s bothersome sticky substance check.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_433864" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433864"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="c0f330aa"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/0889c8d2b836604a22b67328965fd395.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433864" class="wp-caption-text">[Hit by Pitch but Stops Teammates from Rushing Out] On June 20, after being hit by a pitch from Padres’ Roberto Suarez (34), he held back his angry teammates with his left hand to prevent a brawl.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_433863" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2268px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433863"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="583da2e9"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/e32ea4c3956b70337190f1f02a296973.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433863" class="wp-caption-text">[No. 30] In the 4th inning of the July 2nd game against the White Sox, he hit a homer to right field in his third at-bat, raising his index finger to the sky.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_433866" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1843px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433866"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="347066a4"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/50f86615991964cf6186c1487c7f25b4.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433866" class="wp-caption-text">[Notice the “Unexpected Expression” Not Seen During Play!] A moment where he intimidated Teoscar Hernandez (32), causing laughter. The two, close in age, are very good friends.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_433871" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1915px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433871"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="1b3cc3c7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/08cfb350f95c235e9c90c8509e14d1c6.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433871" class="wp-caption-text">Often, his hair gets messy from being so absorbed in play. Yet, it somehow still looks photogenic.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_433870" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433870"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="c994cf41"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/3e1357f19a975b5eb74994907e87ce8f.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433870" class="wp-caption-text">In early May, he cheered on his teammates from the bench during play. His innocent smile captivates fans.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_433867" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433867"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d352a5dd"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/b7bad09e69a1644d998f919b7e5f2e60.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433867" class="wp-caption-text">He playfully interacts with Strength &amp; Conditioning Coach Travis Smith, showing a deep trust between them.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_433868" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2240px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-433868"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="63b998da"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/07/48c9dd2c68ea966b6b90ec62d2584007.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-433868" class="wp-caption-text">Chatting with fellow hometown senior Yusei Kikuchi (34) and junior Roki Sasaki (23). He says, “We talked about anti-aging.”</figcaption></figure>
<h2>This Season’s Stats</h2>
Pitching Stats
ERA: 1.50
Wins: 0
Losses: 0
Holds: 0
Saves: 0
Strikeouts: 13
Batting Stats
Batting Average: .275
At-Bats: 386
Hits: 106
Home Runs: 35
RBIs: 67
Stolen Bases: 13
From &#8220;FRIDAY&#8221;, August 8–15, 2025 combined issue

 C2/Yuji Arakawa Takehiko Kohiyama AFLO

 Shohei Otani and his wife Mamiko attended the annual MLB All-Star "Red Carpet Show. He was the hero of the once-a-year ball game, bathed in flashes of light. Here is a look back at the "best scenes" of Ohtani up to July!

Shohei Ohtani’s Most Unforgettable Moments from Early 2025

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