Dodgers teammate and pitcher for the Los Angeles team, Tyler Glasnow, came to the defense of Shohei Ohtani amidst the gambling scandal involving Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Speaking on “The Chris Rose Rotation” podcast with host Chris Rose, Glasnow emphasized Ohtani’s innocence, stating, “Had nothing to do with it. I just think, too, being in a clubhouse, everyone knew right away, like, clearly he had nothing to do with it. The first thing he did was like, ‘Take my phone!” He was like, figure this out. We all knew early on that Ippei was doing some shady stuff.”
Glasnow also remarked, “It didn’t seem like [Ohtani] was very stressed about it, either. I think when you know that you’ve done nothing, it’s only a matter of time before they figure it all out.”
In the recent developments, Ohtani denied any involvement in Mizuhara’s gambling activities, asserting that he was a victim of fraud. Subsequent court documents cleared Ohtani of any wrongdoing. Notably, Ohtani played a significant role in persuading Glasnow to sign an extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December. Just one week after Glasnow’s signing with the team, Ohtani sent him a video inviting him to join him in Los Angeles.
Mizuhara, aged 39, is accused of embezzling $16 million from Ohtani to settle his debts with an illegal bookmaker, resulting in significant gambling losses totaling $40 million. Recently, Mizuhara turned himself in to authorities and was subsequently released on a $25,000 bond.