The Los Angeles Dodgers fired the celebrity participant’s longtime interpreter.
March 25, 2024, 6:17 PM ET
4 min learn
Shohei Ohtani, Major League Baseball’s highest-paid participant, broke his silence Monday afternoon about an alleged playing scandal that prompted his group, the Los Angeles Dodgers, to fireplace his interpreter final week.
In a ready assertion, by means of an interpreter, Ohtani mentioned, “I’m very saddened and shocked that somebody who I trusted has carried out this.”
This press convention was the primary time Ohtani has confronted the media in person for the reason that playing controversy surfaced involving his buddy and Japanese interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, prompting investigations by Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Internal Revenue Service.
“I by no means wager on baseball or some other sports activities,” Ohtani continued. “I by no means requested someone to try this on my behalf and I’ve by no means went by means of a bookmaker to wager on sports activities.”
The 29-year-old pitching and home-run-hitting star, who signed a $700 million deal within the offseason to affix the Dodgers, addressed the media earlier than Monday evening’s spring coaching sport towards his former group, the Los Angeles Angels, at Dodger Stadium.
“Major League Baseball has been gathering info since we discovered in regards to the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the information media,” MLB mentioned in a press release Friday. “Earlier at this time, our Department of Investigations (DOI) started their formal course of investigating the matter.”
Mizuhara was fired Wednesday by the Dodgers, in keeping with a quick assertion from the group. He had labored with the Dodgers as Ohtani’s interpreter after serving in the identical capability with the Angels. Ohtani and Mizuhara’s relationship dates again to 2013, when Ohtani performed for the Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League and Mizuhara was an interpreter for the group.
Mizuhara’s termination got here after allegations of a “huge theft” tied to playing money owed to a Southern California bookmaking operation that’s underneath federal investigation, a number of sources instructed ESPN.
“The Dodgers are conscious of media stories and are gathering info,” the Dodgers mentioned in Wednesday’s assertion. “The group can affirm that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara has been terminated. The group has no additional remark right now.”
The assertion didn’t present a particular cause for Mizuhara’s termination.
Berk Brettler LLP, a legislation agency that represents Ohtani, mentioned in a press release Wednesday, “In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we found that Shohei has been the sufferer of an enormous theft and we’re turning the matter over to the authorities.”
The assertion didn’t specify who allegedly stole the funds from Ohtani. However, in keeping with ESPN, Mizuhara misplaced his job when reporters started asking questions surrounding at the least $4.5 million in wire transfers from Ohtani’s checking account to an unlawful bookmaking operation.
In an ESPN interview scheduled by means of Ohtani’s spokesperson final week, Mizuhara initially mentioned Ohtani had agreed to repay his playing money owed. But a day later, the spokesperson disavowed Mizuhara’s declare and issued the assertion claiming Ohtani had been the sufferer of “huge theft.”
Mizuhara mentioned Ohtani was by no means conscious of his playing and was not concerned.
“I would like everybody to know Shohei had zero involvement in betting,” Mizuhara instructed ESPN. “I would like individuals to know I didn’t know this was unlawful. I discovered my lesson the arduous manner. I’ll by no means do sports activities betting ever once more.”
ABC News’ Meredith Deliso and Mark Osborne contributed to this report.
