MLB opens investigation into Shohei Ohtani, ex-interpreter
Major League Baseball announced Friday that it has opened an investigation into the allegations involving Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.
Two days after the Dodgers fired Mizuhara, the league said it has been gathering information about the incident. Mizuhara was accused of “massive theft” on Wednesday by Ohtani’s lawyers after it was learned that at least $4.5 million of Ohtani’s money had been sent through wire transfers to a bookmaking operation under federal investigation.
According to ESPN, MLB is expected to request interviews with everyone involved in the matter, including Ohtani and Mizuhara. But the league has no way to compel Mizuhara to speak since he’s no longer employed by a team.
Ohtani also has the right to refuse to speak with the league as a member of the MLB Players Association, and he may do so because of the ongoing criminal investigation.
When news first broke of the wire transfers, Ohtani’s lawyers said the Dodgers slugger had paid Mizuhara’s gambling debts but then accused him of making those transfers without Ohtani’s knowledge.
The IRS said Thursday that Mizuhara and the alleged illegal bookmaker, Mathew Bowyer, are being investigated by the agency’s Los Angeles field office.
Mizuhara has been interpreting for Ohtani since the two-way superstar debuted with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017.
Ohtani signed a record-setting 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers in December after batting .304 with an American League-leading 44 homers and 95 RBI in 2023, when he earned his second AL MVP.
ELSEWHERE Mets:
New York signed sixtime A All-Star J.D. Martinez toa one-year contract. Financial
terms were not disclosed by the team; however, multiple media outlets reported it was worth $12 million. The contract reportedly will pay Martinez, who played at Flanagan High and Nova Southeastern University, just $4.5 million in 2024, with the rest deferred to be paid $1.5 million annually from 2034-38. Martinez, 36, was an All-Star for the third season in a row last year. In his lone season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he hit .271 with a .321 on-base percentage, a .572 slugging percentage, 33 homers and 103 RBIs over 113 games in 2023. Martinez spent the previous five years in Boston, helping the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series, a year in which he led the majors with 130 RBI.
Orioles: Longtime Baltimore A owner Peter Angelos died Saturday at the age of 94, the team announced. “Mr. Angelos had been ill for several years, and the family thanks the doctors, nurses, and caregivers who brought comfort to him in his final years,” the Angelos family said in a statement.
“It was Mr. Angelos’ wish to have a private burial ... Donations may be sent to charity in lieu of flowers.” A successful trial attorney who made his fortune in class-action lawsuits, Angelos led a group of investors that purchased his hometown Orioles from Eli Jacobs for a then-record $173 million in October 1993. In January, the Angelos family agreed to sell controlling interest in the team to a group led by billionaire David Rubenstein — and including Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. — for a reported $1.725 billion . ... Top prospect Jackson Holliday will not open the season with the Baltimore Orioles. The team reassigned the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft to minor league camp on Friday. The 20-year-old middle infielder batted .311 with seven extra-base hits and six RBI in 15 games in spring training. Holliday, the son of seven-time AllStar Matt Holliday, is ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect by
MLB Pipeline and was projected by many to be Baltimore’s Opening
Day second baseman.
Rangers: Wyatt Langford,
A
Texas’ top prospect, will be on the Opening Day roster. Manager
Bruce Bochy confirmed to reporters Friday the promotion for Langford, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, who was a non-roster invitee to camp. “He’s with us. He’s earned it,” Bochy said. “It’s well-deserved with the spring he’s had.” In 17 games, the 22-year-old outfielder has hit .388 with six home runs and 19 RBI. The Rangers signed Langford to an $8 million bonus last July. He played collegiately at Florida and hit 47 homers over the past two seasons. He rose rapidly through the Texas farm system last summer, debuting in the Arizona Rookie League on July 28 and ending up at Triple-A Round Rock. In 44 games across four pro levels, Langford hit .360 with 17 doubles, 10 home runs, 30 RBI and 12 stolen bases. He walked 36 times and struck out 34.
White Sox: Chicago released A
16-year veteran right-hander
Jesse Chavez before Saturday’s spring training game against the Seattle Mariners. The 40-year old signed a minor league deal last month then posted an 11.57 ERA in seven spring appearances.
Braves: Charlie Culberson’s
A
attempt to reinvent himself as a pitcher at age 34 took a blow Saturday when he was released by Atlanta. The longtime utility man, who has 99 extra-base hits over an 11-year major league career, went to spring training this season with the Braves on a minor league deal as a righthanded pitcher. Mostly an infielder and left fielder in his 586 career games, Culberson does have 7 1⁄3 career innings pitched over eight regular-season appearances, posting a 1.23 ERA without a decision.
Cardinals: St. Louis will start
A
the regular season with righthander Sonny Gray and outfielder Lars Nootbaar on the injured list, manager Oliver Marmol said Saturday. Gray has a right hamstring strain that will send him to the 15-day IL, while Nootbaar is headed to the 10-day IL with multiple non-displaced rib fractures. Gray, 34, was 8-8 with a 2.79 ERA in 32 starts for the Minnesota Twins last season, finishing second in American League Cy Young Award voting during an All-Star campaign. He is a three-time All-Star.
Athletics: Oakland righthander
A Trevor Gott will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the entire season and part of 2025, MLB.com reported Friday. Gott has a fully torn UCL in his throwing elbow, per the report. Gott, 31, signed a one-year deal worth $1.5 million with the A’s in December.
Diamondbacks: Arizona
A
released veteran shortstop Elvis Andrus amid a flurry of moves. Andrus, 35, a two-time All-Star with 2,091 career hits over 15 major league seasons, signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks earlier this month. He batted .118 in six spring training games. The D-backs also optioned infielder/outfielder
Pavin Smith and left-hander
Andrew Saalfrank to Triple-A Reno and reassigned LHP
Castillo to minor league camp.