Shohei Otani is scheduled to speak to reporters Monday about former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara’s alleged theft of $4.5 million to cover gambling debts.
The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar told reporters Sunday before an exhibition game against his former team, the Los Angeles Angels, that he would address the situation on Monday. The Dodgers later confirmed to the Times that that was the plan.
Ohtani is embroiled in one of the league’s biggest scandals ahead of the season opener later this week. His lawyer edited Mizuhara’s initial statement to ESPN, in which Mizuhara said Ohtani was shouldering the debt as a friend and instead called the two-way star the victim. “Grand theft.”
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Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara of the Los Angeles Dodgers look on during the Los Angeles Dodgers press conference at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, December 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Rob Reiter/MLB Photo via Getty Images)
Ohtani’s manager Dave Roberts agrees with the decision to speak on the matter.
“I think it’s the right thing to do,” Roberts said, via the Times. “I’m glad he’s speaking out and saying what he knows and giving his thoughts on the whole situation. I think it gives us a little more clarity.”
Ohtani has many questions to answer in this case, but how did he not realize until now that the $4.5 million had been stolen? – And there are speculations to debunk, including the opinion that he was somehow involved in this situation.
Shohei Otani’s former interpreter’s past is called into question due to denial of relationship between Red Sox and university: Report
The reason for this speculation stems from the fact that one of Ohtani’s spokespeople organized an interview with Mizuhara on ESPN this Tuesday, in which he spoke for 90 minutes about the situation, in which Ohtani knowingly He claimed to be repaying the debt on his behalf. Otani’s spokesperson initially acknowledged the incident, but he and Mizuhara alike later recanted, insisting instead that Otani was the victim.
Mizuhara admitted in an interview that he has never bet on an MLB game, but has bet on international soccer, the NBA, and the NFL.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (right) speaks to the media with the help of interpreter Ippei Mizuhara during Dodger Fest, which celebrates the upcoming season with live entertainment, behind-the-scenes experiences, food, drinks, and meet-and-greets with players. talk. Dodgers newest team at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 3, 2024. (Keith Birmingham/Media News Group/Pasadena Star News via Getty Images)
Multiple news outlets have dug deep into his past, stating that his Angels career (he worked with Ohtani on the team from 2018 to 2023) began in 2007, when he attended UC Riverside and worked for the Angels. Suwon is shrouded in mystery as a result of the discovery of contradictions such as the fact that In 2010, he served as an interpreter for Hideki Okajima with the Boston Red Sox.
The University of California, Riverside, told The Athletic it had no record of him in its system, and the Red Sox issued a statement to multiple news outlets saying Mizuhara had never worked as an interpreter for Okajima.
Following reports of the incident, the Dodgers issued a statement saying they were “gathering information” and confirmed that Mizuhara no longer works for the team.
Ohtani remains on the Dodgers’ roster for Opening Day, but MLB and the IRS are expected to launch an investigation into the matter.
Shohei Ohtani, No. 17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers, stands at bat during the 2024 Seoul Series game between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea on March 21, 2024. (Master Press/Getty Images)
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The Dodgers’ 2024 season is scheduled to open Thursday at home against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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