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Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday he expects the league’s investigation into superstar Shohei Ohtani to be short-lived, “but I don’t know” how long it will take.
Preparations for the new MLB season were eclipsed following the recent gambling scandal involving Ohtani and his former longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.
The scandal came to light while the Dodgers were in South Korea earlier this month, when ESPN and the Los Angeles Times – which broke the story – reported that Ohtani’s lawyers had accused Mizuhara of “massive theft” of millions of dollars. And was accused of placing bets with a bookie. Federal investigation. Mizuhara was fired while the team was in Seoul.
Ohtani, who signed baseball’s richest contract with the Dodgers during the offseason, adamantly denied betting on any games or paying a bookmaker and placed blame squarely on his former interpreter for the irregularities, which But the two-time American League (AL) MVP was accused of stealing. Money from his account.
The situation is currently being investigated by both the league and federal authorities, and Manfred was eager to guarantee fans that the league is making every effort to resolve it as quickly as possible as we learn the facts of the situation. .
“Given the way the story has unfolded, it is important to reassure our fans about the integrity of the game that we confirm what Mr. Ohtani said,” Manfred told Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo. Do it and it’s really very simple.” MLB Network.
ESPN’s Tisha Thompson, citing multiple unnamed sources, said on CNN’s “The Lead” that at least $4.5 million was withdrawn from Ohtani’s bank accounts via wire transfer last week, though it was not clear what the transfers were. Who started it?
The Internal Revenue Service and Major League Baseball are investigating the matter, with the league trying to determine whether its strict rules against gambling were broken. A player or employee who gambles on baseball can be suspended for one year, while someone who gambles on a game he or she is a part of in some way can be suspended for life. . MLB Commissioner Manfred can also penalize anyone who goes outside of legal sports betting establishments and gambles with a bookmaker.
MLB considers Rule 21 so important that it is required to be posted in every clubhouse.
The situation involving Ohtani has raised further questions about sports’ relationship with betting in America as the industry continues to grow.
In the last NFL season alone, several players were suspended for violating the league’s gambling policy.
When asked about American sports’ complex relationship with the gambling industry, Manfred stressed the importance of establishing clear guidelines for everyone involved.
“Sports betting will continue in the United States, whether or not we have a relationship with any particular company, any gambling enterprise,” he told Russo. “The fact of the matter is that the Supreme Court decision has opened it up and it is going to happen and there is nothing we can do about it, number one.
“No. 2, I don’t think it’s unusual to have a set of rules that apply on the one hand to fans and officials and private citizens, and on the other hand to players and those who are on the field trying to influence the outcome of the game. Have the ability to. They have two different sets of rules for those groups which is perfect for me.
“The fact of the matter is, there are all kinds of situations in which you have privilege, in this case the privilege of playing in Major League Baseball, and that comes with the responsibility to avoid engaging in certain types of behavior. This case is gambling, which is legal for other people.”
