Shohei Ohtani is blossoming this Spring without his former interpreter.
Dave Roberts, the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, sees potential positives in the recent dismissal of Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, believing it could enhance the star’s relationship with teammates and staff.
According to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, Roberts noted on Tuesday that Ohtani has become even more engaged with his teammates in recent days, suggesting that there could be only benefits from this development.
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Roberts further suggested that direct communication with Ohtani might be facilitated now that there isn’t an intermediary like Mizuhara. He described previous communication with the interpreter pair as challenging.
Last week, the Dodgers parted ways with Mizuhara after allegations emerged that he had embezzled around $4.5 million from Ohtani to cover a gambling debt.
On Monday, Ohtani addressed the accusations for the first time through his new interpreter, Will Ireton, stating that Mizuhara had stolen his money and fabricated stories. Ohtani affirmed that he had never engaged in betting on baseball or any other sport.
According to The Athletic’s Andy McCullough, a Dodgers spokesperson confirmed that Ireton, who previously worked with Kenta Maeda during his time with the team, will continue to interpret for Ohtani for the foreseeable future.
