The Modern Pete Rose Scandal: Shohei Ohtani, Ippei Mizuhara, and the Los Angeles Dodgers
On March 20, 2024, the Los Angeles Dodgers fired Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, after allegations of illegal gambling and theft. Mizuhara was more than an interpreter, becoming Shohei Ohtani’s right-handed man as he battled cultural differences in the U.S. Mizuhara has been with Ohtani since he signed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018, following him everywhere to ensure he felt safe and accompanied. However, Mizuhara allegedly stole $16 million from Ohtani to cover up his gambling losses, breaking the trust between the inseparable duo.
Still, how could an interpreter steal so much money from a player? Since only a few Japanese players are in the MLB, they often choose their interpreter and are isolated on their team, rarely talking to anyone but their interpreter. As stated by Don Nomura, the former agent of Hideo Nomo in the Wall Street Journal, “A lot of players depend on [their] interpreter for getting used to going to supermarkets, renting a place, renting a car, opening a bank account,” and other little errands (Diamond and O’Connell). As a result, Ohtani could rely on Mizuhara, who even quit his job during the lockout before the 2022 season, when players and staff could not communicate, to continue helping Ohtani. Therefore, Mizuhara, who had been with Ohtani since he came to the MLB, had direct access to his bank account, even impersonating him to wire funds. Similarly, he would cover his losses for his sports betting addiction by transferring millions of dollars from Shohei’s account to an illegal sports betting bookmaker since California has banned sports gambling.
Fortunately, there is no evidence that Ohtani is involved in the gambling scandal. He also fully cooperated during the investigation, including access to his electronic devices. On the other hand, Mizuhara turned himself in to the authorities voluntarily on April 12, 2024, and will begin to complete a rehabilitation program for gambling addicts. Between December 2021 and January 2024, Mizuhara reportedly placed around 19,000 bets, averaging 25 daily. Amusingly, the wages came out to be a net loss of over $40 million. Luckily, investigators believe Mizuhara did not place any bets on baseball, instead opting for other professional sports, such as basketball and football. Still, Mizuhara will face the maximum sentence of 30 years in prison if convicted of bank fraud, which would be a dramatic and abrupt downfall for the world’s most famous interpreter.
Ultimately, Shohei Ohtani should not face any punishment for the scandal unless any new evidence arises. Yet, the situation scarily parallels what happened to Pete Rose, who was banned from baseball for life in 1989 after gambling on games as a player and manager. As a result, the Baseball Hall of Fame has yet to induct Pete Rose despite being one of the greatest players of all time. Hopefully, we do not see the same thing happen to Shohei Ohtani, who has had a meteoric rise in MLB, winning the MVP award twice, unanimously in 2023. He has increased baseball’s popularity worldwide and developed a reputation for being honest, reliable, and loveable. In conclusion, Shohei’s close call with a lifetime ban highlights how people must always do the right thing, even if it is not pleasurable or fun.
