Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Ohtani accuses former interprete­r of stealing money

- From local and wire dispatches

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani said Monday he never bet on sports and interprete­r Ippei Mizuhara stole money from him and told lies.

Ohtani held a news conference at Dodger Stadium, five days after Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well over $1 million.

“I am very saddened and shocked someone whom I trusted has done this,” the Japanese star said sitting next to Will Ireton, the team’s manager of performanc­e operations, who translated.

Ohtani spoke for nearly 12 minutes, referring to a document in front of him. He did not take questions.

“Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has been telling lies,” Ohtani said.

A two-time MVP, Ohtani left the Los Angeles Angels in December to sign a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers.

“I never bet on baseball or any other sports or never have asked somebody to do it on my behalf and I have never gone through a bookmaker to bet on sports. and was never asked to assist betting (payment for anyone else,” Ohtani said.

More baseball

Left-hander Matt Strahm and the Philadelph­ia Phillies agreed to a $7.5 million contract for the 2025 season,

a deal that includes a team option for 2026.

Hockey

Our long civic nightmare is finally over. The Jagr bobblehead­s have been found.

The Penguins announced that law enforcemen­t authoritie­s in California have secured the stolen truckload of Jaromir Jagr bobblehead­s that were to be distribute­d as a promotion at the team’s March 14 game at PPG Paints Arena.

Have a voucher and tickets to the April 6 home game versus Tampa Bay? You can redeem the voucher inside PPG Paints Arena at that game. Bobblehead­s will be available from 11:30 a.m. until 30 minutes after the game’s conclusion.

On April 7, the team will host a drive-thru pick-up option at PPG Paints Arena from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Fans with vouchers should enter the Jim Shorkey Auto Group Garage located at 1300 Centre Ave. and remain inside their vehicles.

Tennis

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek and U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff have been knocked out of the Miami Open. Swiatek lost to Ekaterina Alexandrov­a, 6-4, 6-2, hours after the third-seeded

Gauff fell in three sets to No. 23 Caroline Garcia, 6-3, 1-6, 62. In the men’s draw, topseeded Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the round of 16 with a 6-4, 6-2 win against Gael Monfils.

College football

Penn State football has added Florida Internatio­nal to its schedule for 2025, per Brett McMurphy of the Action Network. The Nittany

Lions and Florida Internatio­nal will meet Sept. 6 at Beaver Stadium. The starting time has not yet been determined.

• Oregon State and Washington State have finalized a settlement over financial distributi­ons with the 10 schools leaving the Pac-12. The departing schools will have $5 million withheld during the 2024 fiscal year for a total of $50 million under the deal announced. The departing schools also will pay a $1.5 million “supplement­al contributi­on” to the conference that will be used by the remaining schools to navigate an uncertain future.

College gymnastics

Penn State women’s gymnastics is heading to Ann Arbor, Mich. for the Michigan

Regional of the 2024 NCAA women’s gymnastics championsh­ips.

• Also at the Michigan Regional, Pitt’s Jordyn Ewing has qualified as an individual floor specialist as she was selected as one of the top-16 event specialist­s based on national qualifying scores.

College basketball

Washington has hired Utah State’s Danny Sprinkle as its men’s basketball coach.

• Marshall basketball coach Dan D’Antoni — the oldest coach in Division I at 76 — is out after 10 seasons. He will be replaced by assistant coach Cornelius Jackson, the school said.

• South Carolina leading scorer Meechie Johnson is entering the transfer portal.

 ?? Courtesy photo ?? The Jaromir Jagr bobblehead­s have been recovered.
Courtesy photo The Jaromir Jagr bobblehead­s have been recovered.

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