The firing Wednesday of an interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani remains shrouded in mystery, after claims that the MLB’s highest-paid star had willingly helped his translator pay off millions in gambling debt pivoted to allegations of “massive theft” in the span of just one day.
However, Mizuhara’s explanation has changed dramatically over time: He initially claimed to ESPN on Tuesday that Ohtani agreed to pay off his gambling debts and transferred the money himself last year, part of an interview that ESPN says was arranged by Ohtani’s team. ESPN says Mizuhara recanted that statement the following day, telling a reporter that Ohtani was actually unaware of his gambling debts or repayment efforts—a reversal that ESPN says came after the network contacted Ohtani’s lawyers for comment.
Meanwhile, a representative for Ohtani told ESPN the player’s team had discovered a “massive theft” after responding to multiple media inquiries. Mizuhara told ESPN he “never bet on baseball,” but instead focused on international soccer, college football, the NBA and the NFL; theit “can confirm that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara has been terminated” and is gathering information, though the team has no further comment at this time—Forbes has reached out to the Dodgers and Mizuhara for comment.until the end of his decade-long deal, an unusual arrangement apparently designed to ease the MLB’s “luxury tax” for top-spending teams.