Over Shohei Ohtani’s six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, he was considered a package deal. Alongside him was his interpreter and lifelong best friend, Ippei Mizuhara. Wherever Ohtani went with the Angels, Mizuhara was close behind, and they remained together when Ohtani made his move to the L.A. Dodgers this offseason on a historic $700 million contract.
However, that no longer is the case due to Mizuhara’s alleged involvement in an illegal gambling scheme, via a shocking news break on Wednesday.
According to Gustavo Arellano, Adam Elmahrek, Nathan Fenno and Paul Pringle of the L.A. Times, Ohtani’s attorneys believe Mizuhara has stolen millions from Ohtani to participate in gambling.
Representatives of Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday accused his interpreter of engaging in a “massive theft” of the ballplayer’s funds to place bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker who is the target of a federal investigation.
Lawyers for Ohtani made that claim after The Times learned that Ohtani’s name had surfaced in the investigation of Mathew Bowyer, an Orange County resident. Ohtani’s representatives looked into the actions of the interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, in response to The Times’ queries, a source close to the matter said. Two sources told the newspaper that the money involved was in the millions of dollars.
The Dodgers acted quickly in light of this news, firing Mizuhara in the aftermath. MLB has a policy that prohibits “any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee” from betting on baseball or making illegal bets involving other sports. If personnel is found to have participated in such acts, punishment is “such penalty as the Commissioner deems appropriate in light of the facts and circumstances of the conduct.”
Mizuhara was just seen this week alongside Ohtani and his Dodgers teammates Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman for the team’s first media availability after arriving in South Korea for the Seoul Series.
More facts about this case are certain to come to light over the next few months, but for now, it does not seem that this was going on when Ohtani was with the Angels. However, there is no evidence one way or the other with regard to that.
Angels name Patrick Sandoval Opening Day starter
The Angels have announced that Patrick Sandoval is the Opening Day starter for the 2024 MLB season when the Halos take on the Baltimore Orioles on March 28. It is Sandoval’s first Opening Day start and it comes against one of the best pitchers in MLB in Corbin Burnes.
