Shohei Ohtani denies betting on baseball in first press conference since scandal
Dec 14, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani stands with his agent Nez Balelo (left) and interpreter Ippei Mizuhara at an introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Shohei Ohtani is openly denying the allegations against him.
The Los Angeles Dodgers star Ohtani addressed the media on Monday for the first time since the scandal involving his ex-interpreter Ippei Mizuhara broke. Speaking through new interpreter Will Ireton, Ohtani flat-out denied that he had ever bet on baseball or any other sport.
“I never bet on baseball or any other sports,” said Ohtani, per Sam Blum of The Athletic. “I have never asked someone to do that on my behalf. I never went through a bookmaker. Up until a couple days ago, I had no idea this was happening.”
Ohtani, who did not take any questions from the media during the roughly 12-minute-long session, also said that Mizuhara “has been stealing money from my account and has told lies.” The 2023 AL MVP added that he was “very saddened and shocked that someone who I trusted has done this.”
Mizuhara, Ohtani’s longtime interpreter and close friend, was fired by the Dodgers last week amid accusations that he had stolen millions of dollars from Ohtani to pay off his gambling debts to an illegal bookie. Additionally, Mizuhara said in an interview that Ohtani had personally transferred funds to help him pay off the debts (before abruptly changing his story to say that he had stolen the money from Ohtani instead).
The wishy-washy nature of Mizuhara’s story as well as the questions over Mizuhara’s salary relative to the many millions in gambling debt allegedly involved, led many to speculate that Ohtani himself was the one with the gambling addiction and that Mizuhara was just the fall guy. Ohtani did his best to put those claims to rest Monday. But it is still possible that he faces discipline from the ongoing MLB investigation into both him and Mizuhara.