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Life is poetic, ain’t it? On June 16, Shohei Ohtani made his triumphant return to the pitching mound. The generational player allowed one run in one inning in his first start as a Dodger.
Gangbusters numbers? Obviously not. But it was the return that was the story. It has been 22 long months since he last pitched in the majors — back when he was still an Angels player and not yet a World Series champion. An elbow injury, the second of his career, has shelved him from pitching (but not hitting) the entire time.
Ohtani threw only 28 pitches, but he’s expected to increase the count in the coming starts. Fourteen of Ohtani’s pitches clocked at or above 98 miles per hour, with one reaching 100. The Dodgers are planning to have him on the mound once a week.
“I’m just really grateful, reflecting back on all the support that I received from the doctors that operated on me, the support staff, the team and everybody who supported me along the way,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “I’m just grateful that, aside from the results, to be able to show and be grateful for the moment I had today.”
The quote is poetic for two reasons. One, it’s not the interpreter he first broke into the league with almost a decade ago. Two, that original interpreter, had a day to remember on June 16 — but for completely opposite reasons as we’ll get into.
Ohtani’s Interpreter Behind Bars Again
The original interpreter we’re talking about is one Ippei Mizuhara. He reported to federal prison the same day Ohtani returned to pitching. It officially ended the saga that captivated the sports world for months, and left Ohtani $17 million less rich.
Mizuhara is now serving a 57-month sentence at Allenwood, a federal facility in Pennsylvania. He showed up quietly around noon — hours before Ohtani’s return in front of a sold-out crowd. Call it a coincidence, but it’s hard not to see the symbolism: one man climbing back into the spotlight, the other fading into the shadows.
By now, most people know how Mizuhara ended up here. He wasn’t just a translator, but Ohtani’s right-hand man. The two were inseparable. Video games. Meals. Travel. Mizuhara was there for it all. And he used that same trust to rob the most recognizable face in baseball.
Siphoning money from Ohtani’s bank account, Mizuhara placed more than 19,000 wagers between 2021 and 2024, totaling over $325 million in betting volume. At his worst, he impersonated Ohtani on calls with banks to push through fraudulent transfers. In the end, Mizuhara was down roughly $40 million and spiraling.
Since California sports betting remains banned, Mizuhara was placing bets with Matt Bowyer, an illegal bookie who’s also facing his own sentencing. Prosecutors say Mizuhara wired at least $4.5 million to Bowyer’s crew while under federal investigation. When the house of cards collapsed, Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers, charged with bank fraud and tax fraud, and ultimately sentenced to just under five years.
Why Mizuhura’s Story STILL Resonates
There’s a reason this story blew up. It wasn’t just the dollar amount. Or that Mizuhara was stealing from an all-time talent. It was the betrayal. The proximity. The realization that someone so close, so trusted, could do something this evil — and for something as dumb as gambling.
What stood out during sentencing was just how overwhelmed Mizuhara seemed. He begged the court for mercy. Asked to serve time in California to stay closer to his family. In the end, he got neither. And as a Japanese citizen, he’s now expected to be deported after his prison term.
But what should really have people’s attention isn’t what happened to Mizuhara — it’s what could still happen elsewhere.
More Gambling Scandals To Follow?
Legal sports betting has exploded in the United States. But regulation? That part’s still catching up. As more money floods into betting — and more athletes, trainers, and employees find themselves within reach of it — you’re going to see more scandals like this.
Heck, it’s already happened. The NBA betting world was rocked by its own scandal involving a player. Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors was banned for life for betting (and possibly rigging) games he was involved in. It’s believed he might have been part of a bigger conspiracy that involves more NBA players, though the lid hasn’t been blown off quite yet.
Inevitably, when more scandals transpire, it’ll always go back to Mizuhara since it was the first of its kind. But in reality, it’s not about Mizuhara or any single player. It’s a system problem. From team employees to tech workers at sportsbooks, the temptation is everywhere. That temptation is going to get more people than just Porter or Mizuhara.
For Mizuhara, the road ends in a prison cell 75 miles north of Harrisburg. But for sports betting, the story’s just getting started. The industry has been taken out of the shadows of offshore betting and into the big leagues — literally and figuratively.
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