On Shohei Ohtani’s comments, for SportsCenter …
@Alden_Gonzalez He needs to be suspended immediately!
@Alden_Gonzalez @JeffPassan None of this story adds up. At all. Really hope reporters are trying to dig to the bottom of this.
Ohtani’s statement: First, thank you all for being here. I'm glad to have this opportunity to speak, as I've wanted to share my side. It's been a tough week for everyone involved—my team, myself, and especially the fans. Your patience and understanding mean a lot to me. I am saddened and shocked by the actions of someone I trusted. This is how I feel right now. Due to the ongoing investigation, my ability to discuss details is limited. However, I have prepared notes to clearly communicate what happened for your understanding. To be clear, I have never bet on anything, asked anyone to bet on my behalf, or requested money transfers to bookmakers from my accounts. I was completely unaware of these activities until a few days ago. The conclusion is that he stole money from my account and lied to me and everyone around us. Last weekend in Korea, I was informed by the media through my agent about allegations of my involvement with gambling. Ippei-san had not informed me of these inquiries, nor had I received any direct communication about them. Initially, Ippei-san told my agent and others that the payments were made on behalf of a friend, not himself. This was later admitted to be his own debt. All these statements turned out to be false. Ippei-san did not communicate the media inquiries to me, and he lied about having discussed these matters with me and the agents. My first awareness of the gambling issue was during a team meeting after the first game in Korea, where he spoke entirely in English. Without an interpreter, I only had a vague understanding and felt something was off. He asked to discuss more details back at the hotel later, which was when I first learned about his gambling addiction and debts. I did not consent to repay his debts or authorize any transfers to bookmakers. After learning about his significant debts post-match at the hotel, he admitted to accessing my account and making unauthorized transactions. I found this unacceptable, convened my agents, and after our discussion, informed the Dodgers and lawyers, who were also unaware of his deceit. Legal advisers have classified this as theft and fraud, and have reported it to the authorities. I have not been involved in sports betting, and no transactions were made from my accounts to bookmakers. The word 'shock' hardly describes what I've felt this past week. It's challenging to articulate this experience. With the season starting, I'm leaving matters in the hands of my lawyers and will fully cooperate with the police. Though it's hard to shift my focus, I'm looking forward to the season's start and am glad to have spoken today. This is all I can share now, and I won't be taking questions. Thank you.
@Alden_Gonzalez @JeffPassan Yeah I don’t buy his innocence act
@Alden_Gonzalez @JeffPassan Even if he is guilty nothing is gonna happen because Ohtani is the face of MLB right now. There is no way an interpreter would have access to authorize wire transfers! Ohtani makes 1 of craftiest free agent signings using a hard to find loophole but doesn’t know his $ is stolen?
@Alden_Gonzalez @JeffPassan 1) what bank would authorize those withdrawal without Ohtani in person 2) what bookie would allow a client to go that into debt without knowledge that person has significant money backing them