Shohei Ohtani Wore Custom Cleats Honoring His Dog, Decoy, For Tokyo Series

It's hard to love anything as much as Shohei Ohtani loves his dog.

The Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way superstar rocked custom cleats for this week's Tokyo series that featured his beloved Dutch Kooikerhondje, Decoy. The kicks — which he showed off on Instagram after Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Chicago Cubs — featured an image of the pup stitched into the heel of the cleats and painted on the bottom.

Ohtani posted the custom New Balances alongside photos of some sweets from his wife, Mamiko, wishing him a happy Opening Day.

This isn't Ohtani's first pair of cleats honoring his now-famous pooch.

For Players' Weekend back in August, the Japanese slugger debuted a pair of custom white and gold colorways with Decoy's name and face airbrushed on the sides.

Ohtani brought Decoy home shortly after undergoing elbow surgery in September 2023 to keep him company while he rehabbed. A few months later, Decoy stole the show while Ohtani was officially named the American League MVP on MLB Network.

Since then, Decoy has become a staple at Dodger Stadium, throwing out (well, fetching) the ceremonial first pitch, making regular public appearances with his owner and taking part in the 2024 Dodgers championship parade. The dog even has his own bobblehead!

Shohei Ohtani high-fives Decoy after the ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium.

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

As for the team itself, the Dodgers had a strong showing in Japan, winning both games against the Cubs. Ohtani reached base five times in the series, recording three hits, three runs and an RBI. That included a fifth-inning home run on Wednesday — but he had some help with that one via an interfering fan.

WATCH: Shohei Ohtani Hit A Fake Home Run In Japan Because Doubles Don't Pay The Bills

"It's almost become the expectation that whenever he comes up in a big situation, he's going to come through," Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman said of Ohtani. "We're all out there grinding, trying to win a game, and he's playing a different game altogether."

The Dodgers will head back to Los Angeles for a three-game exhibition series with the Angels before their regular-season home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 27.