Shohei Ohtani ‘Grateful’ for Support from Teammates, Team; Baseball Star Reflects on Former Interpreter’s Gambling Scandal

Toshiaki Obitsu / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

17:13 JST, April 25, 2024

WASHINGTON – Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani thanked his team for the support he has received since his longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara left the team due to Mizuhara’s gambling scandal.

Speaking at a press briefing before a game against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, he referred to the scandal and said, “The investigation itself is still ongoing, so it is not all over.

“There are many people, including my teammates and the team, who have been supporting me on this case, so there are many occasions when I feel grateful for that,” he continued.

Dodgers’ employee Will Ireton is now interpreting for Ohtani during press conferences and other occasions, but Ohtani is said to be increasingly directly communicating with his teammates without an interpreter.

Ohtani also spoke about his newlywed life during the briefing. “Basically, we [the team] travel a lot on off days, so I haven’t had something like a whole day off at home so far. [My wife and I] have been taking walks together and stuff, but we haven’t gone somewhere for a whole day yet.” Regarding not being together during his away games, Ohtani said, “I want to make her say she misses me.”