The latest news revolving around Shohei Ohtani and former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara has come out. All of the news seems positive for Ohtani and the Dodgers. On Friday, Mizuhara surrendered to law enforcement and is in the process of negotiating a plea with them.
Reports indicate that Ohtani is viewed as a victim in this case and will not face any charges from the federal investigation.
In light of the good news, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts answered some questions regarding the situation. Roberts declined that this has been a distraction for Ohtani and the clubhouse. He offered further details into that answer.
“To be quite honest, not really. I think he has a very good — I don’t want to say poker face — but he’s very stoic. You just don’t know his emotions. He just comes in every day the same. You never know if things are good or things are bad, stuff on his mind. He’s just a pro. He just wants to play baseball.”
The numbers support Robert’s claim that this has not affected Ohtani at the plate. Amidst this investigation, Ohtani has performed very well. He is currently hitting .343 with four home runs and 10 runs batted in.
While Roberts tends to play things very close to the chest, he did seem relieved that the situation seemed to be wrapping up.
Ultimately, a decision was made. (Ohtani) was exonerated, which we all believe. And like I said, I’m just happy that it’s behind us.”
Despite a media frenzy all year, especially with this situation, the Dodgers have continued to play winning baseball. This is a testament to how well-run the organization is and the character of the players they have in the clubhouse.
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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