With more gambling cases likely, Ohtani debacle is a lesson to MLB
3 months, 1 week ago

With more gambling cases likely, Ohtani debacle is a lesson to MLB

LA Times  

The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, right, and his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, leave after a news conference ahead of a workout in South Korea on March 16. Both the Dodgers and MLB have remained mostly silent about their actions during the days before The Times broke the story about Ohtani’s name surfacing in the federal probe and the theft allegations against Mizuhara. ESPN reported that an unnamed spokesman for Ohtani offered up Mizuhara for an interview — and the interpreter told ESPN that the ballplayer had paid Mizuhara’s gambling debts to an illegal bookmaker. With Balelo and Hiltzik in charge that week in March, the ESPN story on Mizuhara’s assertion that Ohtani paid the gambling debts began to take shape, ESPN reported. One section states: “Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee who places bets with illegal book makers, or agents for illegal book makers, shall be subject to such penalty as the Commissioner deems appropriate in light of the facts and circumstances of the conduct.” The abruptness of the reversal in Mizuhara’s account — that he stole from Ohtani — raised doubts about his new story at the time, some of which have lingered, the experts say.

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History of this topic

‘A Shohei economy’: How Shohei Ohtani’s first year transformed the Dodgers financially
2 weeks ago

‘A Shohei economy’: How Shohei Ohtani’s first year transformed the Dodgers financially

LA Times  

The announcements came like a metronome at the start of last season, a steady stream of almost weekly news releases from the Dodgers announcing one Japanese sponsorship deal after the next. And even before accounting for the staggering $680 million of deferrals Ohtani proposed in his contract — a structure that preserved the Dodgers’ payroll flexibility by paying him only …

Shohei Ohtani to recoup $325,000 in baseball cards. Ex-interpreter still owes him $16 million
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Shohei Ohtani to recoup $325,000 in baseball cards. Ex-interpreter still owes him $16 million

LA Times  

Ippei Mizuhara’s fleecing of Shohei Ohtani was straightforward for the most part. Ohtani’s former interpreter had access to a bank account full of Ohtani’s money, and he simply wrote checks, withdrew cash or wired funds whenever he made bets or needed to pay gambling debts. Mizuhara, however, deposited the money into his personal bank account and paid the dentist from …

Baseball star Shohei Ohtani seeks $325,000 worth of baseball cards from his ex-interpreter
Trending News
3 weeks, 4 days ago

Baseball star Shohei Ohtani seeks $325,000 worth of baseball cards from his ex-interpreter

Associated Press  

Baseball star Shohei Ohtani wants his former interpreter to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of baseball cards he says were fraudulently bought using his money. The Los Angeles Dodgers star is also requesting Ippei Mizuhara, who previously pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud for stealing nearly $17 million from the unsuspecting athlete, return signed collectible baseball …

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani seeks $325,000 worth of baseball cards from ex-interpreter
3 weeks, 4 days ago

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani seeks $325,000 worth of baseball cards from ex-interpreter

LA Times  

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, right, is seeking $325,000 worth of baseball cards former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, left, bought using Ohtani’s money. Baseball star Shohei Ohtani wants his former interpreter to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of baseball cards he says were fraudulently bought using his money. The Dodgers star is also requesting that Ippei Mizuhara, who previously …

Juan Soto could decide on his next team before or during baseball’s winter meetings
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Juan Soto could decide on his next team before or during baseball’s winter meetings

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Juan Soto appears on a timetable to decide on where to sign either before or during baseball’s winter meetings in Dallas, which run from Dec. 8-12. Soto is likely to seek a record contract, topping Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. For instance, Ohtani’s contract is valued at $46.1 million …

Shohei Ohtani in the Dodgers’ lineup for Game 3: ‘He wasn’t going to not be in there’
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Shohei Ohtani in the Dodgers’ lineup for Game 3: ‘He wasn’t going to not be in there’

LA Times  

Teammates show concern as the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani heads to the clubhouse after injuring his shoulder in Game 2 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium. We said, ‘All right, he’s got us.’ We’ll be ready for him to be in the lineup.” Ohtani was indeed in the lineup Monday night, batting leadoff in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium just …

Shohei Ohtani, his translator, and the $180m betting scandal that hangs over baseball's biggest superstar as he seeks World Series glory
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Shohei Ohtani, his translator, and the $180m betting scandal that hangs over baseball's biggest superstar as he seeks World Series glory

Daily Mail  

Shohei Ohtani had something penciled in for Friday, October 25, long before the Los Angeles Dodgers secured their spot in the World Series. Ippei Mizuhara was accused of stealing $17million from baseball icon Shohei Ohtani The Los Angeles Dodgers star signed a 10-year, $700million deal back in December 2023 Last month, however, the hearing was postponed to December - at …

Japan Gets Ready to Cheer on Dodgers, Ohtani in World Series
2 months ago

Japan Gets Ready to Cheer on Dodgers, Ohtani in World Series

Associated Press  

Japan prepares to cheer on Ohtani and the Dodgers, with the country dressing for the occasion. Television ratings in Japan have set records as the Dodgers and Ohtani prepare to face the New York Yankees. Ohtani has stoked national pride, even among Japanese who don’t care about baseball, with merchandise for the 12 Japanese pro teams on sale.

Shohei Ohtani: The face of baseball shrugging off a betting scandal to keep making history
2 months ago

Shohei Ohtani: The face of baseball shrugging off a betting scandal to keep making history

The Independent  

Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our …

What was (and wasn’t) discussed in Dodgers’ pitching meeting with Shohei Ohtani
2 months, 3 weeks ago

What was (and wasn’t) discussed in Dodgers’ pitching meeting with Shohei Ohtani

LA Times  

Dodgers officials and Shohei Ohtani met last Sunday to discuss the state of the two-way star’s pitching rehab program, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Thursday. “It just wasn’t even talked about,” Friedman said, “because it’s not a thought.” Instead, Sunday’s meeting centered on a delicate balance Ohtani and the Dodgers will have to strike in October, when Ohtani …

Letters to Sports: Shohei Ohtani reaches another level of greatness
3 months ago

Letters to Sports: Shohei Ohtani reaches another level of greatness

LA Times  

Shohei Ohtani became only the sixth player in baseball history to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season earlier this summer. Wayne Muramatsu Cerritos :: Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Shohei Ohtani surprises all of us! Geno Apicella Placentia :: With the Dodgers’ pitching staff seemingly suffering a setback at least once …

Could Angels have kept Shohei Ohtani? Their non-offer lingers ahead of his Anaheim return
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Could Angels have kept Shohei Ohtani? Their non-offer lingers ahead of his Anaheim return

LA Times  

When Randal Grichuk was traded to the Angels last year, arriving as one of several veteran additions the club made during its all-in trade deadline buying spree, he quickly recognized his new club’s main objective. “If I had been able to contribute to the maximum, I think there are parts that would have been different.” Despite all that, however, there …

Bookmaker to plead guilty in gambling case tied to baseball star Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Bookmaker to plead guilty in gambling case tied to baseball star Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — A Southern California bookmaker who took thousands of sports bets from the ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to running an illegal gambling business, U.S. authorities announced Thursday. Mathew Bowyer’s business operated for at least five years in Southern California and Las Vegas and took wagers from more than 700 bettors, including …

‘Right place, right time’: Dodgers fan snags Shohei Ohtani home run ball in Centerfield Plaza
5 months ago

‘Right place, right time’: Dodgers fan snags Shohei Ohtani home run ball in Centerfield Plaza

LA Times  

Shohei Ohtani, left, hit a home run during the fifth inning Sunday at Dodger Stadium; lifelong Dodgers fan Jon Kramer snagged the ball 473 feet later in Centerfield Plaza. Influential Shohei Ohtani: Baseball’s new Babe Ruth, only bigger The power of Shohei Ohtani goes beyond the $700-million contract he signed with the Dodgers. And he's never seen anyone do what …

Column: Is Shohei Ohtani ready for his first pennant race with the Dodgers?
5 months ago

Column: Is Shohei Ohtani ready for his first pennant race with the Dodgers?

LA Times  

Shohei Ohtani will return to the Dodgers for the second half of the season as a triple-crown candidate, ranking first in the NL in home runs, second in average and third in RBIs. This was news to Shohei Ohtani, who described his relationship with Roberts as “wonderful.” “I think he’s a manager who has a lot of conversations with players …

Shohei Ohtani: Baseball’s new Babe Ruth, only bigger
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Shohei Ohtani: Baseball’s new Babe Ruth, only bigger

LA Times  

Shohei Ohtani, photographed in Seattle in 2022. When federal prosecutors asserted in April that Shohei Ohtani didn’t place any wagers with an illegal bookmaker or knowingly pay off the debts of his former interpreter, the baseball world breathed a collective sigh of relief. Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700-million contract with the Dodgers last year, could be the single greatest …

Midway through his first season as a Dodger, Shohei Ohtani is a Hollywood blockbuster
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Midway through his first season as a Dodger, Shohei Ohtani is a Hollywood blockbuster

Associated Press  

CHICAGO — Halfway through his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani looks quite comfortable with his new surroundings. So I think overall, looking back, it’s been a really good first half.” Ohtani, who turns 30 on July 5, agreed to a record-shattering $700 million, 10-year contract in December. But at the same time, as a hitter, I’ve …

Shohei Ohtani interested in home run derby but Dodgers sound reluctant
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Shohei Ohtani interested in home run derby but Dodgers sound reluctant

LA Times  

Shohei Ohtani participated in the home run derby in 2021 when he was with the Angels and the All-Star Game was in Colorado. Shohei Ohtani expressed an interest in participating in this summer’s home run derby, but the Dodgers slugger — who has been one of baseball’s best hitters while rehabilitating from his second Tommy John surgery — appears a …

Ippei Mizuhara spoke for baseball star Shohei Ohtani. He also stole nearly $17M from him
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Ippei Mizuhara spoke for baseball star Shohei Ohtani. He also stole nearly $17M from him

Associated Press  

SANTA ANA, Calif. — As an interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara was supposed to bridge the gap between baseball star Shohei Ohtani and his English-speaking teammates and fans as the duo traveled from Southern California to ballparks across the U.S. Inside baseball, Mizuhara stood by Ohtani’s side for many of the Japanese sensation’s career highlights, from serving as his catcher during the …

Shohei Ohtani formally cleared by MLB of any involvement in gambling
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Shohei Ohtani formally cleared by MLB of any involvement in gambling

LA Times  

The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani stands in the dugout during the second inning of a game against the Reds on May 24. “Based on the thoroughness of the federal investigation that was made public, the information MLB collected, and the criminal proceeding being resolved without being contested, MLB considers Shohei Ohtani a victim of fraud,” the statement read, “and this matter …

Ohtani’s former interpreter Mizuhara pleads guilty in sport betting case
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Ohtani’s former interpreter Mizuhara pleads guilty in sport betting case

Al Jazeera  

Mizuhara pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $17m from the Los Angeles Dodgers player to pay off illegal gambling debts. Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, has pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $17m from the Japanese baseball player to pay off illegal gambling debts. The former interpreter for the Los Angeles Dodgers player pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud in …

Shohei Ohtani lost sleep after translator was accused of stealing millions of dollars from him
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Shohei Ohtani lost sleep after translator was accused of stealing millions of dollars from him

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani says he lost sleep after his translator was accused of stealing millions of dollars from the two-way baseball star. “I think the thing that affected me the most is just being able to sleep well,” Ohtani said through a translator on Monday before the Dodgers’ series opener at the New York Mets was rained out. …

Dodgers’ star-studded offense fails to capitalize on chances in loss to Reds
6 months, 4 weeks ago

Dodgers’ star-studded offense fails to capitalize on chances in loss to Reds

LA Times  

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani reacts after striking out during the first inning of a 3-1 loss to the Reds at Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park on Saturday. “We just couldn’t capitalize offensively,” manager Dave Roberts said after his club went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position. “But yeah, it’s been a two-week stretch where we’ve shown a lot …

Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, pleads not guilty as a formality
7 months, 1 week ago

Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, pleads not guilty as a formality

LA Times  

A courtroom sketch of Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, in federal court in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The former interpreter for Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded not guilty Tuesday to bank and tax fraud, a formality before following through on a plea deal he’s negotiated with federal prosecutors to admit guilt in a wide-ranging sports …

TV series based on Shohei Ohtani interpreter gambling scandal in the works at Lionsgate
7 months, 2 weeks ago

TV series based on Shohei Ohtani interpreter gambling scandal in the works at Lionsgate

LA Times  

Lionsgate Television is developing a scripted series based on the real-life gambling scandal involving Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter. The series will be produced by Tony Award winner Scott Delman, known for “The Book of Mormon” and “A Raisin in the Sun,” and sports journalist Albert Chen, Santa Monica-based Lionsgate said Thursday. “This is Major League Baseball’s biggest sports gambling …

Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter agrees to plead guilty to stealing $17 million
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter agrees to plead guilty to stealing $17 million

LA Times  

Ippei Mizuhara, left, stands next to Shohei Ohtani and translates during an interview at Dodger Stadium on Feb. 3, 2024. Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, has agreed to plead guilty in federal court to stealing millions of dollars from Ohtani to cover gambling debts, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Without telling Ohtani, prosecutors …

Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara reaches plea agreement on 2 federal charges
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara reaches plea agreement on 2 federal charges

CNN  

CNN — The former interpreter and longtime friend of MLB megastar Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to illegally transferring almost $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account, according to a news release from the US Department of Justice. “From no later than November 2021 to March 2024, Mizuhara used Ohtani’s password to successfully sign into …

Shohei Ohtani gets booed by Toronto fans, then smacks a homer to spark Dodgers’ win
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Shohei Ohtani gets booed by Toronto fans, then smacks a homer to spark Dodgers’ win

LA Times  

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the first inning of a 12-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Shohei Ohtani had gotten a lot of cheers from the crowd in his past trips to Toronto Not anymore apparently pic.twitter.com/M0oikMlV0D — Jack Harris April 26, 2024 “He’s shown he’s compartmentalizes really well,” manager …

Mizuhara’s surrender inspires Shohei Ohtani to soar for Dodgers
8 months, 1 week ago

Mizuhara’s surrender inspires Shohei Ohtani to soar for Dodgers

LA Times  

Ippei Mizuhara entered a courtroom in shackles. Before the game, through a statement, Mizuhara apologized to Ohtani, his lawyer Michael G. Freedman saying, “He wishes to apologize to Mr. Ohtani, the Dodgers, Major League Baseball and his family.” Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani gestures as he heads to first after hitting a solo home run during the first inning against the Padres …

Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, must get gambling addiction treatment, judge says
8 months, 1 week ago

Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, must get gambling addiction treatment, judge says

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s former longtime interpreter agreed Friday to undergo court-ordered gambling addiction treatment after federal prosecutors accused him of stealing $16 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts. From the field at Dodger Stadium hours after Friday’s proceeding, Ohtani said he was “very grateful” for the investigation and would focus …

Shohei Ohtani ‘grateful’ for investigation into ex-interpreter: ‘I’d like to focus on baseball’
8 months, 1 week ago

Shohei Ohtani ‘grateful’ for investigation into ex-interpreter: ‘I’d like to focus on baseball’

LA Times  

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani stands on the field at Dodger Stadium before a Freeway Series game against the Angels in March. At that news conference, which took place on March 25, Ohtani said he had no knowledge of the wire transfers Mizuhara made from his account, that he had never gambled on sports or used an illegal bookmaker, and that …

Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara makes first court appearance in L.A.
8 months, 1 week ago

Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara makes first court appearance in L.A.

LA Times  

Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, made his first court appearance Friday afternoon on charges that he stole more than $16 million from the Dodgers superstar to cover debts with an illegal bookmaker. “Our investigation has revealed that due to the position of trust he occupied with Mr. Ohtani, Mr. Mizuhara had unique access to Mr. Ohtani’s finances,” …

Shohei Ohtani translator indicted for gambling theft: Ippei Mizuhara betrayed Ohtani; his agent and communications team did too.
54 years, 11 months ago

Shohei Ohtani translator indicted for gambling theft: Ippei Mizuhara betrayed Ohtani; his agent and communications team did too.

Slate  

At the end of March, Shohei Ohtani gave his side of a story that had become a runaway train. The Los Angeles Dodgers fired Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, while federal law enforcement and Major League Baseball conducted their own investigations. After all of the initial contradictions from others, Ohtani’s story was simple: Mizuhara, who had a gambling problem, had stolen …

Here’s how investigators allege Ippei Mizuhara stole $16 million from Shohei Ohtani
8 months, 1 week ago

Here’s how investigators allege Ippei Mizuhara stole $16 million from Shohei Ohtani

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Federal authorities allege Ippei Mizuhara, the former longtime interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, stole more than $16 million from the two-way baseball sensation to cover his gambling debts. Mizuhara placed nearly 25 wagers per day and lost nearly $41 million The complaint says Mizuhara’s phone contained hundreds of pages of text messages with a …

Shohei Ohtani's Translator Accused Of Stealing Over $16 Million From Baseball Star's Account
8 months, 1 week ago

Shohei Ohtani's Translator Accused Of Stealing Over $16 Million From Baseball Star's Account

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Federal prosecutors on Thursday charged the Japanese-language translator for Shohei Ohtani with felony bank fraud, accusing Ippei Mizuhara of stealing millions of dollars from the Los Angeles Dodgers star to cover his own gambling debts. According to an affidavit provided to HuffPost, Mizuhara transferred more than $16 million out of Ohtani’s checking account from November 2021 to …

Former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani charged with bank fraud in sports betting case
8 months, 1 week ago

Former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani charged with bank fraud in sports betting case

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The former longtime interpreter for …

Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter charged with stealing $16M from baseball star in sports betting case
8 months, 1 week ago

Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter charged with stealing $16M from baseball star in sports betting case

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Federal authorities charged the former longtime interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday with federal bank fraud, alleging that he stole more than $16 million from the Japanese sensation to cover gambling bets and debts. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said Mizuhara was so intertwined in Ohtani’s life and career that he became the star’s …

Why feds say Shohei Ohtani is a ‘victim’: Interpreter allegedly paid gambling debts pretending to be Dodger
8 months, 1 week ago

Why feds say Shohei Ohtani is a ‘victim’: Interpreter allegedly paid gambling debts pretending to be Dodger

LA Times  

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani “cooperated fully” with an investigation of his former interpreter and was cleared of wrongdoing, the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California said. When Japanese interpreter Ippei Mizuhara lost bets, he paid a bookmaker with money allegedly stolen from Shohei Ohtani, a staggering total of more than $16 million — nearly four times what previously …

Ohtani interpreter stole more than $16 million from baseball star, feds allege
8 months, 1 week ago

Ohtani interpreter stole more than $16 million from baseball star, feds allege

LA Times  

Federal prosecutors have charged Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, with stealing more than $16 million from the Dodgers superstar to pay debts with an alleged illegal bookmaker, as part of a sprawling scheme that stretched over two years and involved illicit wagers of more than 10 times that amount. The 36-page criminal complaint alleges that Mizuhara arranged …

What's next for Shohei Ohtani, MLB after Ippei Mizuhara charges?
8 months, 1 week ago

What's next for Shohei Ohtani, MLB after Ippei Mizuhara charges?

LA Times  

On March 25, Shohei Ohtani stood before television cameras at Dodger Stadium and said this about his longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara: “Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has told lies.” That same day, according to a federal criminal complaint filed Thursday, Ohtani granted consent for law enforcement officials to search his phone. The 37-page complaint, which charges …

Shohei Ohtani's legend continues as baseball star, not a gambler
8 months, 1 week ago

Shohei Ohtani's legend continues as baseball star, not a gambler

LA Times  

Two weeks after sinking into a murky abyss, the legend of Shohei Ohtani has suddenly come up for air, surfacing powerfully through a thick layer of felonious lies and criminal deceit. I didn’t quite believe Ohtani when he recently threw Mizuhara under the bus by saying, “Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has told lies.” With Thursday’s …

Inside the gambling ring linked to Ohtani — as told by two bettors themselves
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Inside the gambling ring linked to Ohtani — as told by two bettors themselves

LA Times  

For all its complexities, all its twists and turns, the gambling scandal that has engulfed Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani raises a simple question. “The guy seemed to run a good shop,” one said of the bookmaker, adding that he has used “dozens of different bookies and this is easily the best I’ve ever worked with.” The Times linked one of …

Japanese treat Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal like ‘presidential election.’ Media take his side
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Japanese treat Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal like ‘presidential election.’ Media take his side

LA Times  

Japanese citizens recognize that baseball players betting on baseball — even if the wagers aren’t made on a bettor’s team — is taboo. In a statement he read to an assembly of about 70 reporters at Dodger Stadium last week, Ohtani said, “I never bet on baseball or any other sports, or have never asked somebody to do on my …

Letters to Sports: When it comes to Shohei Ohtani, nobody knows the real story
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Letters to Sports: When it comes to Shohei Ohtani, nobody knows the real story

LA Times  

$700 million, crooked interpreter, illegal gambling, innocent baseball player and large institutions investigating it all. The wimpy L.A. media should have pushed back on the Dodgers and said, “If Ohtani won’t answer questions we won’t bother to send a reporter or film crew.” Shame on the media for going along with it and kudos to Dylan Hernández for his follow-up …

Dodgers' Ohtani, Betts and Freeman are matching the Big Three hype
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Dodgers' Ohtani, Betts and Freeman are matching the Big Three hype

LA Times  

Welcome to — Boom! “I was the only one who didn’t hit a home run,” said Ohtani, poor guy, so sad. “It’s great to be a starting pitcher behind a lineup like that.” He was talking about the entire lineup and, indeed, Max Muncy added two RBIs, James Outman knocked in a run, and Will Smith kept that first inning …

Commissioner Rob Manfred hopes MLB investigation of Shohei Ohtani will be short but isn’t sure
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Commissioner Rob Manfred hopes MLB investigation of Shohei Ohtani will be short but isn’t sure

Associated Press  

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says he hopes the sport’s gambling investigation of Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani will be short but he isn’t sure. Asked about the length of the investigation, Manfred said: “I hope short, but I just don’t know.” Manfred defended the commercial relationships MLB and its teams have with legal gambling companies. “The clubs that have …

The mysterious life — and questionable claims — of Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter
8 months, 3 weeks ago

The mysterious life — and questionable claims — of Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter

LA Times  

They were one of the best-known duos in baseball. Mizuhara’s initial claims that Ohtani had made the payments as a favor to cover his gambling debts were a “complete lie,” Ohtani said. The biography furnished by the Angels and cited by many media outlets said Mizuhara graduated from UC Riverside in 2007, but the school’s records “do not show a …

Shohei Ohtani shows no hint he's distracted by gambling scandal
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Shohei Ohtani shows no hint he's distracted by gambling scandal

LA Times  

Shohei Ohtani might as well have been talking about a television show he watched the night before or his commute to Dodger Stadium in the morning. “It’s under investigation,” Ohtani said, “so I can’t say anything.” California What to know about the Shohei Ohtani interpreter gambling scandal Shohei Ohtani is considered a victim as prosecutors charge ex-interpreter Ippei Mizuhara with …

Here’s what we know about the allegations against Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Here’s what we know about the allegations against Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Only a week has passed since the Los Angeles Dodgers abruptly fired Ippei Mizuhara, the interpreter and constant companion of their new $700 million slugger, Shohei Ohtani. Here are the basics as Ohtani and the Dodgers prepare for their home opener against St. Louis on Thursday: It’s opening day, but the biggest story in baseball remains the …

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