"I smell something fishy" - MLB fans not buying reports suggesting Shohei Ohtani was unaware of Ippei Mizuhara's gambling situation
Shohei Ohtani's saga seems to have no end as news breaks out every day about the Los Angeles Dodgers star. Ever since Ohtani's translator Ippei Mizuhara has been involved in what's believed to be a sports betting scandal, Ohtani's image has been diminishing.
While there have been no allegations about the two-way star or his involvement, some fans believe that Ohtani was well aware of the situation. According to Talkin' Baseball, a new report claims Shohei Ohtani learned about Mizuhara's situation pretty late.
The report states that Ohtani knew only when Mizuhara addressed the clubhouse after their first game against the Padres. However, MLB fans beg to differ, and some are not buying the reports since they believe Ohtani was well aware of the situation in advance.
Here's a look at some of the fan reactions to the latest report:
"I smell something fishy," wrote one fan on X.
"No one believes this. He learned about losing $4.5 million just 2 days ago?" wrote another fan.
Some fans came in support of Ohtani as well:
It's hard to jump to conclusions without any proper evidence. While some fans disagree, some are confident that Ohtani has nothing to do with the whole gambling act.
MLB to gather facts on Shohei Ohtani's unfolding story
The Dodgers fired Ippei Mizuhara right after the allegations, and MLB will need to step into the issue to set things straight.
At present, MLB has not been contacted by federal authorities or any other authority. The league will investigate to shine some light on the issue, and it could take days or weeks to find a breakthrough.
Shohei Ohtani has yet to speak out about his interpreter's involvement. The Dodgers designated hitter was restricted from answering questions after their second game against the San Diego Padres.
Ohtani's representatives have contacted law enforcement authorities to investigate a massive theft on him.
According to ESPN, the payments were allegedly sent from Ohtani's account to Southern California bookmaker Mathew Bowyer's associate. Moreover, sources close to gambling operation confirmed that Mizuhara placed bets on international soccer matches and other sports, and not baseball.