LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to speak to the media Monday for the first time since allegations of illegal gambling and theft involving the Los Angeles Dodgers star surfaced during the team’s tour in South Korea. Angeles and his interpreter.
The interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was fired by the Dodgers last week when the team began the season with two games in Seoul against the San Diego Padres.
Manager Dave Roberts supported Ohtani addressing the matter publicly.
“It’s the right thing to do,” he said. “I’m glad he’s going to speak up and say what he knows and show his perspective on the whole situation. I think it will give us all a little clarity.”
Mizuhara was fired after reports by the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal gambler and accusations by Ohtani’s lawyers that the Japanese star had been the victim of a “massive robbery.”
The Major League Baseball office opened an investigation into the case.
The Internal Revenue Service has confirmed that Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker in Orange County, California, are under criminal investigation.
Ohtani only appeared briefly in the Dodgers’ clubhouse on Sunday, before the Freeway Series opener against his former team, the Los Angeles Angels. The teams will play three exhibition games before the Dodgers host St. Louis in their home opener on Thursday.
Ohtani is slotted in as the second hitter in his designated hitter role at Dodger Stadium.
Roberts said Ohtani has not addressed his teammates as a group.
“I think he’s had specific conversations with the players,” Roberts said.
The manager said he talked to Ohtani to see how he was doing.
“It’s kind of business as usual,” Roberts said.
Ohtani has a double locker in the Dodgers clubhouse located between the bathroom and fellow Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is scheduled to make his second start of the season Saturday against St. Louis.
Source: AP
2024-03-24 22:56:56
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