Ohtani's Wife Reacts to Blue Jays Fans' Chants at World Series

During Game 1 of the World Series, fans at Toronto's Rogers Centre directed chants of "We don't need you!" at Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers star. The atmosphere was charged as Ohtani stepped up to bat multiple times on October 24.

In a light-hearted response to the taunting, Ohtani referenced his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, when asked about the fans' antics. "It was a really great chant, and my wife really appreciated it," he quipped through team interpreter Will Ireton during a practice session at Dodger Stadium on October 26.

The chants were a nod to the ongoing free agency discussions surrounding Ohtani, who had reportedly narrowed his options to the Dodgers and Blue Jays before signing a historic 10-year, $700 million contract with Los Angeles in December 2023.

Tanaka, who married Ohtani in February 2024, was present for Game 1, as shown in a photo shared by the Dodger Wives Instagram account. The post featured her alongside other players' spouses, including Chelsea Freeman and Haeley Snell, with an enthusiastic message: "WS game 1… let’s go dodgers!!!"

However, she was noticeably absent from a subsequent group photo before Game 2, leaving fans wondering about her attendance.

Despite the raucous environment, the Dodgers lost Game 1 with a score of 11-4. Ohtani managed to hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning amidst the chants from Blue Jays supporters.

Los Angeles rebounded in Game 2 with a decisive 5-1 victory on October 25, leveling the best-of-seven series at 1-1. The series now moves to Los Angeles for Games 3, 4, and 5 starting October 27, with potential Games 6 and 7 returning to Toronto if necessary.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider addressed the fan behavior during his postgame press conference after Game 1. "I just wanted to get the third out. I love energetic fan bases," he remarked. "It happens in different ways and shapes and forms in every stadium." He acknowledged the unique challenge of discussing a player like Ohtani.

Blue Jays outfielder George Springer also commented on the situation, acknowledging the chants but quickly redirecting focus back to his team's performance. "I mean, that’s Shohei Ohtani," he said after Game 1. "That’s one of the best baseball players ever and he’s still got 15 more years to go. He’s an unbelievable talent, but this is who we are as a team. This is us."