Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow said the team knew instantly that Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was into “shady” dealings.
Mizuhara has been accused of stealing $16 million from Ohtani’s accounts to repay illegal gambling debts.
The story first emerged when the Dodgers were opening their season against the Padres in Seoul, South Korea.
Glasnow spoke to Jomboy Media’s Chris Rose this week and said the team believed early on that Ohtani was innocent within the ordeal and that Mizuhara was the lone perpetrator.
“It was nothing super formal, but we were all like, ‘We got your back,’” Glasnow said.
“I just think being within the clubhouse, everyone knew instantly he had nothing to do with it. The very first thing he did was like, ‘Take my phone!’ All of us knew early on that Ippei was performing some shady stuff.”
Glasnow added that Ohtani has been outwardly unfazed by the incident.
“It didn’t appear to be he was very stressed about it either,” Glasnow said.
“I feel when you recognize that you just’ve done nothing, it’s only a matter of time before they figure all of it out. It looks as if there has not been any mental sweat lost on his part, and I’m glad all these things has come out so he can focus. I’m sure he’ll get asked about this all 12 months, but he’ll handle it well.”
What to find out about Shohei Ohtani’s accusations against his former interpreter
Lawyers representing Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani have accused his now-former interpreter and longtime friend Ippei Mizuhara of “massive theft” in a $4.5 million bombshell.
Mizuhara, who followed the two-time AL MVP from the Angels after he signed a 10-year, $700 million deal this offseason, reportedly accrued massive gambling debts he needed to repay.
Mizuhara first told ESPN Ohtani offered to repay the debt and later modified his story, insisting the Japanese star was unaware of the eight-nine wire transfers produced from his accounts to an alleged illegal bookmaker.
Ohtani’s camp has “disavowed” Mizuhara’s initial story, per ESPN.
He was fired shortly after the Dodgers’ season opener against the Padres in Seoul, South Korea, and Ohtani has yet to publicly address the situation, though his camp is pushing for a law enforcement investigation amid an IRS probe.
“I never bet on baseball,” Mizuhara told ESPN. “That’s 100%. I knew that rule. … We now have a gathering about that in spring training.”
All sides claim Ohtani has no involvement in any gambling.
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Mizuhara was allegedly in a position to steal hundreds of thousands without Ohtani noticing by changing the Dodgers superstar’s bank settings so there wouldn’t be notifications for giant withdrawals.
“Technically I did steal from him,” Mizuhara allegedly wrote on March 20 in an encrypted text message to his bookmaker. “It’s throughout for me.”
Mizuhara turned himself into authorities last week and was released on $25,000 bond.
