Shohei Ohtani's New Balance Cleats Show Love to His Dog

Friday was the first night of MLB Players' Weekend, and there was no shortage of exciting moments. Players debuted wacky cleats and gear to highlight their personalities with the hope of growing the sport.

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani used the annual event to show love to his pet dog. While Ohtani was unable to get on base during the Dodgers' 7-6 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, his cleats stole the show.

Ohtani wore his first signature New Balance cleat in a custom colorway. The white and gold colorway showed Ohtani's dog's face and name "Decoy" in an air-brushed motif.

Shohei Ohtani will wear custom cleats for #PlayersWeekend that feature his dog, Decoy 🐶 pic.twitter.com/z10klPcqRf
— MLB (@MLB) August 16, 2024

While those custom cleats will not be released to the public, Ohtani's first signature collection is available online now. The New Balance FuelCell Ohtani 1 is available in cleats and trainers for $160 and $120, respectively.

Additionally, Ohtani's first signature collection includes lifestyle apparel, which is perfect for Dodgers fans to wear at the ballpark on game day. Online shoppers can check out the entire collection on the New Balance website.

Ohtani's first signature collection comes roughly 18 months after he signed with New Balance. Since partnering with the American brand, Ohtani has starred in multiple national and global marketing campaigns, including the ubiquitous "We Got Now" commercials.

MLB players have been unable to move products since the golden era of sneakers in the 1990s. However, just as Ohtani is a unicorn on the baseball field, he could be the exception in the sneaker industry as well.

Moments like last night will help not only help grow the game but also Ohtani's brand. Stay locked into Kicks on SI for all your sneaker news from the sports world and beyond.

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