Star two-way participant Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers learn an announcement right this moment in relation to Ippei Mizuhara, his former translator and pal. Mizuhara was fired final week amid his involvement with an unlawful sports activities playing operation.
Ohtani learn the assertion in Japanese, which was translated into English by Will Ireton, for a interval of about 12 minutes. Video of the total factor was relayed by Talkin’ Baseball on X. Chad Jennings of The Athletic transcribed all of Ohtani’s feedback, as translated into English by Ireton.
Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic was amongst these to relay just a few days in the past that Ireton can be serving as a translator for Ohtani within the wake of Mizuhara’s departure. Ireton served as Kenta Maeda’s translator when he was with the Dodgers and Ireton stayed an worker of the membership after Maeda was traded to the Twins in 2020.
Reporting final week highlighted that over $4.5MM had been wired from an account in Ohtani’s title to the playing ring. Mizuhara mentioned that he racked up that debt by betting on sports activities apart from baseball, then Ohtani wired the cash to assist him pay it off. Later, Ohtani’s attorneys contradicted the story, saying that Ohtani “had been the sufferer of a large theft.” Ohtani’s model of occasions that he relayed right this moment aligned with the theft story, accusing Mizuhara of utilizing his account to wire the cash after which mendacity about it.
Ohtani mentioned that he was “saddened and shocked that somebody who I trusted has completed this.” Ohtani acknowledged that he has by no means guess on baseball or another sports activities and has by no means gone by a bookmaker to guess on sports activities. “Up till a pair days in the past, I didn’t know this was taking place.” He additionally flatly denied the unique model of occasions, whereby he supposedly despatched the cash to assist his pal Mizuhara. “Ippei has been stealing cash from my account and has instructed lies.”
The Dodgers have been in Korea final week to play the Padres as a part of the Seoul Collection because the preliminary reporting on the story was coming to gentle. Ohtani acknowledged right this moment that the media in Korea inquired concerning the story however Ippei by no means instructed him concerning the media inquiry. Ippei then instructed the media and Ohtani’s representatives the model of occasions that concerned Ohtani paying off the debt. “All of this has been a whole lie,” Ohtani mentioned.
Ohtani says he first came upon about Mizuhara’s playing after the primary recreation of the Seoul Collection, when there was a workforce assembly within the clubhouse. “Through the workforce assembly, clearly, Ippei was talking English and I didn’t have a translator on my facet. However even with that, I sort of understood what was occurring and began to really feel that there was one thing amiss.” Ohtani then states that he didn’t know till that assembly about Mizuhara’s playing dependancy or his debt. “Clearly, I by no means agreed to repay the debt or make funds to the bookmaker.”
Ohtani then states that he and Mizuhara met one-on-one in a lodge room after the workforce assembly. “Ippei admitted that he was sending cash, utilizing my account, to the bookmaker.” Ohtani states he contacted his representatives at that time. “Once I was lastly capable of speak to my representatives, that’s when my representatives came upon that Ippei has been mendacity the entire time and that’s after I began contacting the Dodgers and my attorneys.” Ohtani states that his representatives and the Dodgers came upon at that time that they have been being lied to.
“My attorneys really helpful that, since that is theft and fraud, that we have now the correct authorities deal with this matter.” He concluded by saying that “The season’s going to start out so I’m clearly going to let my attorneys deal with issues from right here on out and I’m utterly aiding in all investigations which are happening proper now. I’m wanting ahead to specializing in the season. I’m glad that we had this chance to speak and I’m certain there can be persevering with investigations shifting ahead. Thanks very a lot.”
On Friday, MLB introduced that it its division of investigations formally started the method of investigating the matter. It is a growing story that can be up to date as extra info involves gentle.