The Dodgers, who stay in South Korea, confirmed in an announcement that they’d terminated Ippei Mizuhara, who has been Ohtani’s shut buddy and interpreter since earlier than he joined the Los Angeles Angels in 2017. The workforce provided no additional remark.
To what diploma Mizuhara was concerned and the way a lot cash was wagered remained unclear as of late Wednesday, however bombshell experiences by the Los Angeles Instances and ESPN famous Mizuhara’s identify emerged in connection to a federal investigation of an alleged unlawful bookmaker, Matthew Bowyer, main Ohtani’s representatives to inquire in regards to the nature of Mizuhara’s involvement. Bowyer declined to remark when reached by The Washington Submit.
ESPN reported Wednesday that Mizuhara admitted in an interview to incurring large playing money owed that Ohtani paid for him and that he insisted Ohtani was not doing any betting. Ohtani’s representatives alleged their shopper had been the goal of theft, however they didn’t identify the particular person they allege perpetrated it.
“In the middle of responding to latest media inquiries, we found that Shohei has been the sufferer of a large theft and we’re turning the matter over to the authorities,” West Hollywood legislation agency Berk Brettler mentioned in an announcement.
Although sports activities betting is authorized in 38 states, it’s nonetheless outlawed in California. The offshore sports activities betting trade, which operates in a authorized grey space and takes bets on credit score, does billions of {dollars} in enterprise annually — with shrouded ties to main figures in sports activities which can be solely now starting to emerge. The Submit reported final 12 months that the shoppers of an indicted sports activities bookie, Wayne Nix, included LeBron James’s longtime supervisor, Maverick Carter. Former Dodgers star Yasiel Puig is awaiting trial on expenses of mendacity to federal investigators about being a shopper of Nix’s operation. Puig’s admitted bookie within the scheme was a youth baseball coach who ran a Dodgers Coaching Academy in Hawaii.
The information got here at what had been a second of world glory for Ohtani, the Dodgers and MLB. The Dodgers opened their common season to nice fanfare in Seoul on Wednesday night time in opposition to San Diego and appeared to be gaining unprecedented ranges of worldwide consideration.
It was a stunning growth as a result of Ohtani and his tight internal circle maintained a flawless public picture since he got here to the US. Mizuhara, who stop his job through the coronavirus pandemic when workforce staff weren’t allowed to work together with gamers in order to have the ability to preserve his friendship with Ohtani, was an endearing and omnipresent a part of that narrative.
Mizuhara traveled to Seoul with the Dodgers, and he was seen within the workforce’s dugout speaking to Ohtani throughout Wednesday’s recreation.
Ohtani turned the highest-paid participant in skilled sports activities historical past when he signed a closely deferred contract that may pay him the equal of $700 million for 10 seasons of service to the Dodgers. He additionally brings in additional sponsorship cash than anybody in baseball by a large margin. In keeping with a report this week by Sportico, Ohtani will rake in roughly $65 million in endorsements this season. The subsequent-closest baseball participant is Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper, who will make $7 million.
The Dodgers and Padres will play once more Thursday night time in Seoul earlier than flying dwelling to open their stateside seasons subsequent week.
Gus Garcia-Roberts contributed to this report.
