Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was unexpectedly at the center of the baseball world on Wednesday when he was fired after he allegedly was involved in a “massive theft” of the Japanese star’s money that was sent to an illegal bookmaker.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Ohtani’s lawyers claim that Mizuhara, 39, used millions of dollars to place bets with bookie Mathew Bowyer, who is based in Orange County, Calif.
ESPN reported that at least $4.5 million was wired to the bookie’s operation.
Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday after they played their regular season opener against the Padres in Seoul, South Korea.
He was seen in the dugout during the win over the Padres, the team said in a statement Wednesday night.
“The Dodgers are aware of media reports and are gathering information. The team can confirm that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara has been terminated. The team has no further comment at this time.”
Mizuhara has long been involved in the baseball world, working as an interpreter for other players before becoming more prominent when he joined Ohtani with the Angels in 2017.
When did Ippei Mizuhara come to the United States ?
Mizuhara, who was born in Tomakomai, Japan, came to the U.S. with his family in 1991 when his father began working in Los Angeles as a chef, according to Japanese reports.
He attended Diamond Bar High School, playing soccer and basketball before attending the University of California Riverside, where he graduated in 2007.
Where did Ippei Mizuhara work before the Dodgers?
After graduating from Riverside, Mizuhara joined the Red Sox as an interpreter for left-handed reliever Hideki Okajima, who pitched for Boston from 2007-11, getting named an American League All-Star in his first season stateside.
In 2013, Mizuhara was hired by the Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball to work as an interpreter there, translating Japanese to English for some players, like Red Sox reliever Chris Martin, who played for the Fighters in 2016 and ’17.
“Ippei was a lot of fun, liked to play video games and kept things light, and that’s probably why he’s so successful with Shohei,” Martin recently told the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” show.
What’s Ippei Mizuhara’s connection to Shohei Ohtani?
Ohtani began his professional career at 18 years old, playing with Nippon from 2013-17, right when Mizuhara was there.
The two-way star eventually made his way to the U.S., signing a deal with the Angels before the 2018 season.
As Ohtani moved to California, so did Mizuhara, becoming his interpreter with the Angels.
Mizuhara frequently accompanied Ohtani at other media events, along with his game duties.
Notably, during the 2021 Home Run Derby at Coors Field in Colorado, Mizuhara served as Ohtani’s catcher.
Ohtani, the top seed in the event, lost in a tight first-round battle to Juan Soto, then a member of the Nationals.
When Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers this offseason, Mizuhara joined him on the National League side.
Are Ippei Mizuhara or Shohei Ohtani facing charges?
While Bowyer is being investigated by federal authorities and could potentially be charged with felonies, Mizhuhara and Ohtani have not been contacted by investigators, according to ESPN.
In its reporting, the outlet also reported that Mizhuhara said he did not bet on baseball.
