Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow said the team knew right away 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 pay off 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 in the ordeal and that Mizuhara was the lone culprit.
“It was nothing super formal, but we were all like, ‘We got your back,’” Glasnow said.
“I just think being in the clubhouse, everyone knew right away he had nothing to do with it. The first thing he did was like, ‘Take my phone!’ We all knew early on that Ippei was doing some shady stuff.”
Glasnow added that Ohtani has been outwardly unfazed by the incident.
“It didn’t seem like he was very stressed about it either,” Glasnow said.
“I think when you know that you’ve done nothing, it’s just a matter of time before they figure it all out. It seems like there has not been any mental sweat lost on his part, and I’m glad all this stuff has come out so he can focus. I’m sure he’ll get asked about this all year, but he’ll handle it well.”
What to know 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 pay off.
Mizuhara first told ESPN Ohtani offered to pay off the debt and later changed his story, insisting the Japanese star was unaware of the eight-nine wire transfers made 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 have a meeting about that in spring training.”
All sides claim Ohtani has no involvement in any gambling.
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Mizuhara was allegedly able to steal millions without Ohtani noticing by changing the Dodgers superstar’s bank settings so there would not be notifications for large withdrawals.
“Technically I did steal from him,” Mizuhara allegedly wrote on March 20 in an encrypted text message to his bookmaker. “It’s all over for me.”
Mizuhara turned himself into authorities last week and was released on $25,000 bond.
