LA Dodgers star gifts Porsche to teammate’s wife

Dodgers’ new acquisition Shohei Ohtani had the car delivered to Ashley Kelly, wife of relief pitcher Joe Kelly

A Los Angeles Dodgers star player gifted his teammate’s wife a Porsche for Christmas after she campaigned heavily to have him join the team.

Dodgers’ new acquisition Shohei Ohtani had the car delivered to Ashley Kelly, wife of relief pitcher Joe Kelly, who used a social media campaign to help bring him onto the squad.

A video posted to the team’s social media on Saturday night showed Ms Kelly opening the front door to see the new, silver car parked at the curb.

"It’s yours. From Shohei," her husband is heard to tell her. "He wanted to gift you a Porsche, I swear to God.”

Ms Kelly publicly lobbied for Ohtani to sign with the Dodgers with her #Ohtake17 social media campaign, in a bid to come and have him take the jersey from her husband – who previously wore it.

Ohtani wore No. 17 during his six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.

Before he signed to the team she shared several comical reactions with him online, including showing him all the No. 17 garb in the family’s closets that could be used by him and his family. She also offered to rename the couple’s baby, Kai, to ShoKai.

After Ohtani signed a record 10-year, $700m deal with the Dodgers earlier this month, she also posted a video on Instagram of her throwing all her No. 17 Kelly garb on her front lawn and then drawing a "Kelly 99" on the back of her husband’s shirt with a Sharpie.

"I wasn’t going to give it up to just anybody," Kelly said following the announcement of Ohtani’s signing.

"If Shohei keeps performing, he’ll be a future Hall of Famer and I’ll be able to have my number retired. That’s the closest I’ll get to the Hall of Fame."