Shohei Ohtani Hits Home Run Amidst Interpreter Scandal
Despite the ongoing scandal involving his former interpreter, Shohei Ohtani continues to shine on the baseball field. The Los Angeles Dodgers star hit a home run in his first at-bat against the San Diego Padres, just hours after his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara surrendered to federal authorities over a charge of bank fraud.
Mizuhara, who is accused of stealing $16 million from Ohtani, was quickly released on $25,000 bond. Ohtani, however, remained focused on the game and thanked the U.S. Department of Justice for its investigation before the match.
The home run marked Ohtani’s fourth with the Dodgers and tied him with Hideki Matsui for the most MLB home runs by a Japanese-born player, at 175. Statcast measured the homer at 403 feet with an exit velocity of 107.3 mph.
Despite the distractions off the field, Ohtani has been performing exceptionally well in the first few weeks of the season. He entered Friday hitting .333/.377/.635 in 15 games for the Dodgers, tied for the MLB lead in total bases with 40.
The scandal involving Mizuhara has been a major setback for Ohtani, but the player remains focused on his game. Both Ohtani and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed their desire to move on from the incident, and Ohtani’s impressive performance on the field is a testament to his resilience and determination.