The Los Angeles Dodgers have dismissed the personal friend and interpreter of Japanese baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani due to claims of theft and illicit gambling. Mizuhara, a 39-year-old interpreter, was fired by the club on Wednesday as a result of revelations from ESPN and the Los Angeles Times regarding his purported connections to an illicit bookmaker. Ohtani is making his Dodgers debut this week, and Mizuhara was in the Los Angeles dugout for the club’s opening-day victory. The squad is now in Seoul, South Korea.
Ohtani, the Dodgers designated hitter, was frequently spotted conversing with Mizuhara, who appeared to be talking about his at-bats on a tablet computer. Law firm Berk Brettler LLP said in a statement on Wednesday that “while reacting to previous inquiries from the press, therefore found that Shohei had become the innocent victim of a huge crime and we have turned the matter over to the authorities.” Even though forty-eight states and the United States District of Columbia permit some sort of sports gambling, it remains banned in California.
Since Ohtani arrived in the United States in 2017, Mizuhara has been a well-known figure to baseball fans as his frequent companion and interpreter when he interacts with the media and makes other appearances. He even played catcher for Ohtani in the 2021 All-Star Game’s Home Run Derby. The Dodgers recruited Mizuhara concurrently with Ohtani, who signed a $700 million, ten-year contract with the team in December.
In an official statement,
the Dodgers stated that they “are aware of media reports and are gathering information.” The announcement stated, “The team can confirm that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara has been terminated.” “At this time, the team has nothing further to say.” Mizuhara revealed to ESPN on Tuesday that he was placing bets on college football, the NBA, the NFL, and international soccer. MLB regulations forbid players and staff members from placing bets on the sport, even when they do it lawfully. They also forbid them from betting on other sports through unlicensed or offshore bookies.
“I don’t wager on baseball,” Mizuhara said to ESPN. That is true to 100%. I was aware of that regulation. We will discuss that during our spring training meeting. Mizuhara could not be reached for comment by the Associated Press on Wednesday. Born in Japan, Mizuhara relocated to the Los Angeles region in 1991 to follow his father’s career as a chef. He graduated from the University of California, Riverside in 2007 after attending Diamond Bar High School in eastern Los Angeles County.
Following graduation from college, Mizuhara worked as an interpreter for Japanese pitcher Hideki Okajima for the Boston Red Sox. He went back to Japan in 2013 to serve as an interpreter for English-speaking Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters players.
He initially got to know Ohtani there;
the same year, Ohtani joined the team. After Ohtani agreed alongside The Angels in 2017, the team contracted Mizuhara to work as his translator. ESPN declared Mizuhara explained to the electrical socket this one week he has endured paid within $300,000 and $500,000 annually. ESPN stated it discussed to Mizuhara on Tuesday midnight, at that point the translator said Ohtani had paid his betting obligations at Mizuhara’s demand.
Following the declaration from Ohtani’s lawyers claiming the participant was a victim of fraud, ESPN says Mizuhara changed his account Wednesday and stated Ohtani had no understanding of the betting obligations and had not moved any revenue to bookmakers. Mizuhara indicated he suffered more than $1 million in borrowing by the conclusion of 2022 as well and his losses increased from there. “I’m not good at gambling. I promise not to do it again. Never won any money, according to Mizuhara. “I mean, I dug myself a hole, and I couldn’t get out of it without having to gamble more, so I just kept losing. It resembles the snowball effect.
This would be the worst gambling scandal in MLB since Pete Rose consented to a lifetime suspension in 1989 following an investigation by attorney John Dowd for MLB, which revealed Rose wagered heavily on the Cincinnati Reds to win between 1985 and 1987 while managing and playing for the team. Every locker room has an MLB gambling policy that forbids players and staff from placing bets on baseball, even when they do it lawfully. It also forbids them from betting on other sports with unlicensed or offshore bookies. A one-year suspension from baseball is the result of placing a wager. The commissioner has the authority to determine the punishment for unlawfully wagering on other sports.
Even though Ohtani has remained primarily media-shy,
his fame has grown around the globe. His recent marriage to Mamiko Tanaka stunned admirers both in Japan and the United States. Despite not being able to pitch this season due to surgery he had done on his right elbow in September of last year. He will be utilized as a designated hitter and may even play in the field. In his debut game, the season opener in Seoul vs the San Diego Padres, he went 2 for 5 with an RBI.
Blog BY:- ExpertSadar
