Shohei Ohtani plans to speak to the media Monday for the first time since the illegal gambling and theft allegations involving the Los Angeles Dodgers star and his interpreter emerged during the team’s trip to South Korea.
The interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was fired by the Dodgers last week when the team opened the season with two games against the San Diego Padres in Seoul.
Manager Dave Roberts endorsed Ohtani addressing the matter publicly. He said it was the two-way superstar’s decision to do so.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Roberts said. “I’m happy he’s going to speak and speak to what he knows and give his thoughts on the whole situation. I think it will give us all a little bit more clarity.”
Major League Baseball has opened an investigation of the matter. The Internal Revenue Service has confirmed that Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker in Orange County, California, are under criminal investigation.
Will Ireton, the team’s performance operations manager, has taken over translation duties for Ohtani. He previously did the same for then-Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda, who is Japanese.
WATCH | Mizuhara fired amid allegations of ‘massive theft’:
Shohei Ohtani’s long-time friend and interpreter Ippei Mizuhara has been fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers after allegations of illegal gambling totalling several million dollars. Initial reports said the MLB superstar paid off that debt, but there are now accusations the money was stolen.
Ohtani made only a brief appearance in the Dodgers clubhouse before Sunday’s Freeway Series opener against his former team, the Los Angeles Angels. The teams are playing three exhibition games before the Dodgers host St. Louis in their home opener on Thursday.
Ohtani was cheered loudly each time he came to the plate for his first game as a Dodger in his home stadium. As the designated hitter, he flied out to left field in the first, drew a walk by Angels pitcher Hayden Seig to load the bases with two outs in the second and struck out swinging against Griffin Canning in the fourth.
Roberts said Ohtani has not addressed his teammates as a group.
“I think that he’s had one-off conversations with players,” Roberts said.
The manager said he checked in with Ohtani to see how he’s doing.
“He’s kind of business as usual,” Roberts said.
WATCH l Ohtani, Dodgers face Padres in MLB season opener in Seoul:
The MLB season got underway with the league’s first official series in Seoul, featuring superstar Shohei Ohtani and Korean star Ha-seong Kim.
Ohtani has a double locker in the Dodgers clubhouse located between the shower room and fellow Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is slated to make his second start of the season on Saturday against St. Louis.
Overhead televisions were tuned to men’s NCAA Tournament games, baseball and horse racing, with former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Paul Lo Duca offering TV handicapping tips on the day’s races.
The MLB gambling policy is posted in every clubhouse. Betting on baseball — legally or not — is punishable with a one-year ban from the sport. The penalty for betting on other sports illegally is at the commissioner’s discretion. Sports gambling is illegal in California, even as 38 states and the District of Columbia allow some form of it.
“The mood in the room is get ready for baseball because I don’t hear a lot of conversations and speculation,” Roberts said. “That’s why I think tomorrow is going to be good for everyone.”