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MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres Aug 22, 2025 San Diego, California, USA Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani 17 reacts after fouling off a ball during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. San Diego Petco Park California USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xDavidxFrerkerx 20250822_hlf_td6_204
Imago
MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres Aug 22, 2025 San Diego, California, USA Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani 17 reacts after fouling off a ball during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. San Diego Petco Park California USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xDavidxFrerkerx 20250822_hlf_td6_204
The betting scandal involving Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, seemed like it had already run its course. With Mizuhara pleading guilty and sentenced, and Ohtani cleared of any wrongdoing, many thought the chapter was closed.
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Last year, Ohtani said, “I’m very saddened and shocked that someone whom I’ve trusted has done this”. Thus making it clear that he had no involvement in betting. And that Mizuhara had been stealing money from his account. However, that was a half baked truth per Mathew Bowyer, the underground bookie tied to the scandal.
On August 28, Bowyer said that Mizuhara’s gambling habit started small but soon spun completely out of control. And what began as casual bets, Bowyer claimed, snowballed into massive, multimillion-dollar debts. And as for Ohtani’s role in all this?
“I definitely believe it was the interpreter. I do not believe that Shohei Ohtani made any wagers. What I do believe that has been brushed under the rug and hidden – and this is my speculation – I do believe that Shohei Ohtani was aware of Ippei’s either gambling or borrowing money, or using some of his funds. To what extent and how long, that part is really up in the air. But my belief is that he [Ippei] did get approval or ask for permission or even had him [Ohtani] send money initially,”former bookie Mathew Bowyer said to host Gill Alexander on the episode of A Numbers Game.
USA Today via Reuters
Mar 12, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani talks with translator Ippei Mizuhara in the dugout against the San Francisco Giants during a spring training baseball game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
So, if you take the bookie’s version at face value, then Mizuhara may have just been the middleman placing bets. And Ohtani was the one playing it safe behind the scenes. Bowyer even suggested it’s nearly impossible for millions of dollars to move out of an account without the account holder knowing.
In early June, the former All-Star Ozzie Guillen claimed that Ohtani was secretly the one gambling. “Everyone knows that Shohei Ohtani took a chance (by gambling) and they (Major League Baseball) protected him,” Guillen said.
However, there’s no hard evidence to back up those accusations.
Reportedly, the Dodgers’ All-Star is now facing another off-field issue.
Ohtani is increasingly becoming controversy’s favorite child
This time, a lawsuit is tied to a $240 million luxury housing project on Hawaii’s Big Island. Filed on August 8, the suit named both Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo.
According to the complaint, Balelo kept pushing for more concessions from the developers before ultimately demanding that their partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, cut them out of the deal.
A project brochure even billed Ohtani as the celebrity spokesperson. It claimed he had committed to buying one of the 14 luxury homes being built.
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Moreover, the lawsuit also noted that this project has been in the works for 11 years. Thus making the dispute even more complicated.