As questions continued to swirl around Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts aimed to find some optimism in the situation, hoping it would strengthen Ohtani’s bond with his new teammates.
Mizuhara had been a close companion to Ohtani in the United States until allegations arose that he stole millions from Ohtani to cover gambling debts. This led to his dismissal by the Dodgers last week.
Will Ireton has taken over as Ohtani’s interpreter, but his role won’t be as close as Mizuhara’s had been. Roberts sees this change as an opportunity for Ohtani to deepen his connections within the Dodgers organization.
Dave Roberts happy Shohei Ohtani doesn’t have ‘buffer’ with interpreter Ippei Mizuhara fired https://t.co/TYE4tTMWK4 pic.twitter.com/AHdubopHq5
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) March 27, 2024
Roberts believes that without a buffer like Mizuhara, Ohtani has become even more engaged with his teammates, which he views positively.
While Ohtani somewhat understands English, Roberts hinted that people might be surprised by how much English he knows. He noted that Ohtani has been trying to step out of his comfort zone recently.
Ohtani addressed the controversy for the first time on Monday, denying accusations that he bet on sports or transferred money to an alleged illegal bookmaker to cover Mizuhara’s debts.
The accusations against Mizuhara involve “massive theft” totaling $4.5 million, with claims that he accrued substantial gambling debts. Mizuhara initially claimed that Ohtani offered to pay off the debt but later retracted that statement, asserting that he was unaware of the transfers from his accounts.
Ohtani’s camp has distanced itself from Mizuhara’s initial claims and is seeking law enforcement investigation amid an IRS probe. Both Ohtani and Mizuhara deny any involvement in illegal gambling activities.
