The Major League Baseball phenom Shohei Ohtani has become a headline in the sports world, as his longtime friend and interpreter has been accused of stealing $4.5 million from his bank account.
Ohtani initially stated that he had agreed to pay the debt that Ippei Mizuhara owed to a bookie, but since his initial statement, Ohtani has gone on the record saying he had no idea about the money being taken from his account.
The commissioner’s office broke its silence on the topic and revealed what the MLB was planning to do.
“Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei [Mizuhara] from the news media,” said an anonymous source within the commissioner’s office.
This is the biggest gambling scandal in the MLB since Pete Rose agreed to a lifetime ban in 1989 after his scandal involving betting on games in the MLB.
Despite a lawsuit and investigation being underway, fans all over the league have many questions regarding Ohtani’s involvement in the scandal, with some speculating that Mizuhara took the fall for the star player to avoid tarnishing his reputation as one of the main faces of the league.
Despite the current investigation regarding Ohtani, he has been present on the Los Angeles Dodgers’ roster throughout the start of the season. Some fans believe he has been receiving unfair treatment due to his fame, as most players dealing with a scandal of this magnitude would face a suspension until the investigation concludes.
Mizuhara, the now-former translator for the superstar, confessed to betting but claimed it was within the rules of the sport because he never bet on any MLB games.
“I never bet on baseball,” Mizuhara said. “That is 100%. I knew that rule. We have a meeting about that in spring training.”
This statement, while confirming that Mizuhara did bet on sports, should weaken a suspension if Ohtani was involved, given that the bets were on international soccer instead of baseball. So, fans can have a sigh of relief knowing if the rumors are true, it will not be another Rose situation resulting in a lifelong ban from the sport and causing ineligibility from the Hall of Fame.
However, many fans of baseball are outraged that he is currently able to play because most MLB players, no matter their status of stardom, would be held from playing until their name had been completely cleared and the federal investigation had concluded. In this new scandal, the MLB has allowed the two-way star to continue playing.
Clare Thoman, a freshman psychology and Spanish major, is one of many who believe that the star is getting special treatment.
“I think it’s unfair that Shohei is getting this treatment,” Thoman said. “All players should be treated equally, not special treatment based on their success and popularity.”
Many fear that if baseball continues to treat situations differently based on stardom and talent, the overall integrity of baseball will be compromised. Proving Ohtani’s connection to Mizuhara’s debts may present challenges, yet it’s important for baseball to honor former players who faced career-ending allegations in the past.
As fans of the sport watch this situation unfold, they will have to wait and see how Ohtani’s involvement is revealed. There is always a chance that he may be the bettor, but fans cannot overlook the unfair treatment that the superstar has received during this scandal.
The truth behind the matter should be revealed soon, but for now, the whole situation is currently up for debate as to whether it is true or if people are blowing this way out of proportion.
