Los Angeles Dodgers Star Shohei Ohtani & Former Cincinnati Reds Great Pete Rose. During the beginning of the 2024 season, Shohei Ohtani became entangled in a web of trouble. News of his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, amassing millions of dollars of debt broke.
However, the story did not just end there. Ohtani’s name showed up on reports after the FBI raided Mizuhara’s California bookie’s home in October. The two-way phenom had made multiple $500,000 wire transfers to Mizuhara’s bookie.
Mizuhara claimed Ohtani never made a bet but was helping him pay off his gambling debts. It was a tough situation for all involved, especially the league, which Patrick Bet-David spoke about during a March airing of his PBD podcast.
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Patrick Bet-David made a claim that this could be the reason for Pete Rose to finally get into the Hall of Fame. Rose was banned from baseball back in 189 for gambling on games he managed.
“That would be the weirdest thing where the MLB has to sit there and say, ‘Hey, you’re going to do this but not put Pete Rose, the all-time hits leader in the history of baseball that would always jump and slide in face first. You’re not going to put that guy in there? Okay’” said PBD.
Shohei Ohtani went nuclear during a stressful 2024 season
Los Angeles Dodgers – Shohei Ohtani (Photo via IMAGN)
News of Ippei Mizuhara’s gambling debt could not have come at a worse time. The season was just getting started as Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers opened up the season in South Korea.
While trying to get comfortable with his new club, the superstar was bombarded with questions by reporters. It was the biggest story surrounding the sport and did not go away quickly.
After an investigation, Ohtani was cleared of any wrongdoing, but not Mizuhara. Mizuhara was charged with one count of bank fraud and one count of submitting a false tax return.
Most athletes dealing with something like this would likely crumble, but not Ohtani. During uncertainties about whether he would get in trouble with the league and his friend’s sentencing, he shined.
It will be interesting to see how the three-time MVP looks coming into the new season with all this drama behind him.
