The management of the Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Sunday that star player Shohei Ohtani will speak to the media on Monday for the first time since the MLB organization fired his interpreter due to claims that he stole from the player to settle gambling debts.
According to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, “it’s the right thing to do,” he told reporters. “I’m glad he will talk about what he knows and share his opinions on the matter as a whole. I believe it will bring some clarity to all of us.”
Roberts stated that Ohtani had not discussed the matter with his Dodgers teammates collectively, and he had followed up with the 29-year-old, who seemed to be doing “business as usual.”
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When Reuters sent an email asking when and where American League Most Valuable Player Yuletide star Shohei Ohtani will address the media, the Dodgers did not immediately respond.
Major League Baseball (MLB) has launched an official inquiry into the claims made against interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, which first came to light during the Dodgers’ season-opening series in Seoul, South Korea, last week.
Ohtani’s lawyers allegedly told the Los Angeles Times last week that Mizuhara had paid off a suspected illegal bookmaker, who is apparently the subject of a federal probe, using the baseball player’s finances.
A request for comment from Reuters was not immediately answered by Ohtani’s attorneys, and Mizuhara could not be reached for comment.
Ohtani signed a $700 million, ten-year contract with the Dodgers last December, ending a high-profile pursuit of one of the most sought-after MLB free agents in recent memory.
Editing by Ken Ferris; reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto
