Shohei Ohtani’s Statement on Former Translator’s Betting Scandal Raises as Many Questions as it Answers

Shohei Ohtani, the designated hitter and pitcher for the Dodgers, spoke to the media on Monday for the first time since Ippei Mizuhara, his previous interpreter, was let go. We still have the same number of questions as previously.

Ohtani’s bank account was linked to an illicit gambling enterprise in California, according to a shocking story published by ESPN’s Tisha Thompson on Wednesday.

 

The Dodgers slugger “had transferred funds to cover Mizuhara’s gambling debt,” an Ohtani representative first told Thompson. However, that claim was then retracted in a statement from Ohtani’s attorneys, who claimed Mizuhara had stolen from Ohtani.

 

“It’s been a difficult week,” Ohtani started reading from a prepared statement on Monday. He was clear in saying that he “never bet on sports” and that he had no idea what Mizuhara was up to.

Ohtani stated through an interpreter, “Ippei stole money and told lies.”

 

According to Mizuhara’s original report on ESPN, he requested Ohtani to settle his debt last year, and he said yes. Ohtani didn’t know about the money transactions, Mizuhara told ESPN, after Ohtani’s attorneys refuted that assertion.

 

While MLB permits its players to wager on sports other than baseball, it prohibits them from using offshore or illicit sportsbooks. Sports betting is prohibited in California.

 

Although Mizuhara has never claimed that Ohtani made bets, it is unfavorable for a bank account bearing his name to surface in a federal probe into an illicit gambling enterprise.

Matthew Boyer, the subject of the federal investigation, is represented by a lawyer who informed Thompson that their client “never met or spoke with Shohei Ohtani.”

 

Ohtani gave us no fresh information in his Monday remarks. Not surprisingly, he denied knowing about the transactions. He was already being described by his attorneys as the victim of a “massive theft.”

 

It’s regrettable, though, that Ohtani refused to respond to any queries. Why were big quantities of money disappearing from his bank account and no warning signs raised?

If they were noticed, how did Mizuhara explain it? And how was he able to access Ohtani’s account?

 

Until those are answered, while indications so far are that Ohtani is the victim, he’ll be the one on trial in the court of public opinion.