ESPN reported {that a} spokesman for Ohtani first stated that the participant had knowingly transferred the funds to cowl the playing debt of Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-term pal and affiliate.
The identical spokesman organized an 90-minute interview between Mizuhara and ESPN on Tuesday evening, the place Mizuhara defined his facet of the story.
He instructed ESPN that he had incurred the money owed betting on the NBA, the NFL, faculty soccer and worldwide soccer however by no means on baseball, which is prohibited by MLB guidelines.
“Clearly, he [Ohtani] wasn’t joyful about it and stated he would assist me out to ensure I by no means do that once more,” Mizuhara stated. “He determined to pay it off for me.”
“I would like everybody to know Shohei had zero involvement in betting. I would like folks to know I didn’t know this was unlawful. I discovered my lesson the exhausting method. I’ll by no means do sports activities betting ever once more,” he instructed ESPN.
Nonetheless, ESPN stated that because it ready to publish its story Wednesday, the spokesman for Ohtani disavowed Mizuhara’s account and stated the participant’s legal professionals would problem a press release.
ESPN reported that Mizuhara then modified his story Wednesday, saying that Ohtani actually had no information of his playing money owed and Ohtani had not transferred cash to the bookmaker’s affiliate. ESPN reported that Mizuhara stated he had been instructed to not touch upon whether or not he had been accused of theft by Ohtani however declined to say by whom.
NBC Information has contacted the Dodgers, representatives for Ohtani and Mizuhara in a single day in search of additional remark.
Mizuhara has labored with Ohtani since his main league debut in 2018.
After working with the Boston Crimson Sox as an interpreter, he met Ohtani after returning to Japan in 2013. When Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017, the workforce employed Mizuhara to work as his private interpreter. ESPN reported that Mizuhara instructed the outlet he had been paid between $300,000 and $500,000 yearly.
It has already been an eventful week for Ohtani, 29, who has develop into the face of MLB’s efforts to construct its model in Asia and one of many sport’s main stars.
He has been greeted by legions of adoring followers on the Dodger’s season-opening collection in Seoul, regardless of South Korea’s long-standing rivalry with Ohtani’s native Japan.