As far as recruiting goes, former Shohei Otani reliever Ipe Mizuhara has been injured for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
After reading a lengthy statement claiming that Otani Mizuhara had created a web of lies to hide her gambling addiction, is there an estimated $4.5 million? Well, as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pointed out Tuesday, the team won’t be too upset to see Mizuhara go in his role as a reliever.
In a statement to reporters a day after Ohtani’s remarks, Roberts said he believed Mizuhara’s loss would be an added benefit to the Dodgers from a baseball perspective, calling the interpreter a “guardian” between team and player.
From the Associated Press:
“Honestly, I’d argue that it helps with communications on the inside. Because there’s no more catching. I think I’ve seen it the last couple of days. I think Schohey is getting more involved with his teammates, and that’s all,” manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday before the Dodgers’ final exhibition game. I think there is.
Roberts as well It is reported On Mizuhara’s part, he said that working with Ohtani was sometimes “difficult.”
Mizuhara was replaced by Dodgers staffer Will Ireton, who previously translated for Japan’s Peter Kent Field from 2016-18. Since then, Ireton has worked in the Dodgers’ baseball operations department, most recently as manager of performance operations.
Ippei Mizuhara has been Shohei Ohtani’s ‘establishment’ ever since he reached MLB.
As the scandal surrounding Mizuhara and Ohtani continues, it is becoming clear that Mizuhara has had an incredible influence on Ohtani’s life and career in the United States. Per Otani’s account, the player didn’t even hear from his U.S. representatives about the brewing scandal before Mizuhara admitted to having a gambling problem in the Dodgers clubhouse.
MLB players from Asia who don’t speak English are highly dependent on their interpreters, and not just to communicate with coaches, teammates and reporters. These are players traveling abroad with little experience. Mizuhara was Ohtani’s interpreter, personal assistant, confidant, driver, teammate, analyst, rehabilitation partner and friend.
The Angels had a similar experience with the Dodgers in working with Ohtani An Illustrated History of Sports It shows:
That afternoon, as they arrived at the BART station, Mizuhara’s phone rang with a text from manager Joe Maddon. Should Otani’s start be pushed back a day to give him time to get through a proper warm-up? Or does this mess with other everyday things? Mizuhara spoke to Otani, who quickly gauged team and individual needs, and sent back his verdict: “Shohei is good at this.
The Dodgers knew this when they signed Ohta and hired Mizuhara, and it’s almost as if it was good. It is reported Increasing Mizuhara’s salary from $85,000 to mid-six figures. The team may have seen that trade with Ohtani as a cost, but it ended up being costly.