The illegal bookmaking operation at the center of the theft scandal involving Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter is the gift that just keeps on giving. And the latest unravelling came in the form of a report Friday from ESPN’s Tisha Thompson that Ohtani’s former Angels teammate David Fletcher also bet on sports with the same illegal bookmaker.
On Sunday, the AP reported MLB is now investigating Fletcher.
On May 8, Ippei Mizuhara agreed to a plea deal in the theft of nearly $17 million from Ohtani to pay off gambling debts with alleged Southern California bookmaker Mathew Bowyer.
Now, we have another player tied up in the operation, and it isn’t just Fletcher. According to ESPN, a friend of Fletcher who played in the minor leagues also bet on sports (including baseball) with Boyer. Here’s everything we know about his and Fletcher’s involvement.
David Fletcher reportedly bet on sports, but not baseball
ESPN is reporting that two players bet on sports with Bowyer’s illegal operation, but Fletcher is unquestionably the bigger deal of those two players. He isn’t just some obscure minor leaguer. Like Ohtani, Fletcher’s time with the Angels spanned from 2018 to 2023, and he’s been described as one of Ohtani’s closest friends in baseball.
Fletcher, 30, played in the majors as recently as five games this season for the Atlanta Braves, though he’s currently with the team’s Triple-A affiliate.
His involvement is potentially noteworthy because while he didn’t bet on baseball, according to the ESPN report, the other player did — including games Fletcher played in. And he’s a close friend of Fletcher.
And who is this other player?
The other player is Colby Schultz, who played as a shortstop in the Kansas City Royals farm system from 2018 to 2019. He never made it past the High-A level, but he and Fletcher both grew up in Orange County, California, and are reportedly close friends.
According to ESPN, Schultz placed bets on baseball through the illegal operation allegedly run by Bowyer, including games Fletcher played in for the Angels.
What will the consequences be?
If MLB’s investigation concludes Fletcher did, in fact, place bets through the illegal operation, the punishment will be at the discretion of the commissioner’s office, according to AP. Though players are allowed to bet on sports other than baseball, they are prohibited from doing so with illegal or offshore bookmakers.
As for Schultz, neither the ESPN or AP report mentions him as being investigated, but that’s probably because his career is already over. If he were still active, he’d likely receive at least a one-year suspension, as that’s the league’s set punishment for players who bet on baseball games in which they aren’t participating themselves.
Hate to ask, but what if Fletcher and Schultz were working together?
So, let’s preface this by saying nothing like this has come up yet or is even being suggested. However, it’s obviously a possibility, and one the league is probably hoping doesn’t turn out to be the case. So, here’s a look at what it would look like if something like that did happen:
Schultz receives inside information from Fletcher (intentionally or not) on Angels players, including Fletcher himself, and uses that information to bet on Angels games. Even worse, Fletcher works in collaboration with Schultz by altering his game to achieve outcomes he knows Schultz bet on.
If either of those scenarios or something similar turn up in the investigation, Fletcher would likely receive a permanent ban from baseball, which is the set punishment for players who bet on their own games. It would also be a terrible look for the sport, as it would open up questions about whether other games are being manipulated.
Is Ohtani involved?
It’s easy to draw a line from both Mizuhara and Fletcher back to Ohtani, but there still isn’t anything to implicate Ohtani in any wrongdoing related to the illegal betting operation. If anything, the ESPN report suggests Fletcher may be the common denominator.
Though Fletcher told ESPN in March he didn’t introduce Bowyer and Mizuhara, it was an acquaintance of Fletcher who gave Bowyer entry to the 2021 poker game at the Angels hotel where he first met Mizuhara. Fletcher said he had met Bowyer once before that. He also told ESPN he never placed a bet with Bowyer’s organization.