Ohtanis

Fans hold up pictures of Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara during an Angels-Mariners game in September 2022 in Anaheim. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press) During his first year or two in Anaheim, Mizuhara talked softly and didn’t carry a big schtick. He seemed shy, almost timid, as he mumbled his way through some interviews. Reporters begged him to speak into the microphone at times. But Mizuhara seemed to gain confidence as he grew more comfortable with his role, and his profile…

Reps of the Dodgers superstar accused Ippei Mizuhara of stealing funds from the athlete in order to place bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker, the LA Times reported The Dodgers interpreter for Shohei Ohtani was fired Wednesday amid allegations of illegal gambling and theft from the Japanese baseball star, according to the Los Angeles Times, which was first to report the news. Ippei Mizuhara, a close friend and interpreter for Ohtani, was accused of “massive theft” and using the athlete’s…

Before Shohei Ohtani became Japan’s most popular athlete, that designation belonged to figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu.Like Ohtani, Hanyu is 29.Like Ohtani, Hanyu was born and raised in the Tohoku region, the northern part of Japan’s main island.Last year, the retired Hanyu announced on social media that he was married. Three months later, he returned to the same platform with another announcement.He was divorced.The two-time Olympic gold medalist said his family was harassed and became the unwanted subjects of media…

PHOENIX —  Where’s Charlie?The question from Shohei Ohtani caught Freddie Freeman by surprise.Freeman had introduced his then-5-year-old son to Ohtani at the All-Star Game in Los Angeles in 2022.Now here they were, back at Dodger Stadium 17 months later as part of a contingent of players enlisted to recruit Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Ohtani was asking Freeman about his son by name.Ohtani has continued asking about Charlie in camp.“Every single day, ‘Where’s Charlie?’ ” Freeman said.Freeman will have his son accompany him…

The stage in the center-field pavilion was brimming with Dodgers royalty.There, smiling in front of dozens of cameras was Shohei Ohtani, Mark Walter, Andrew Friedman, Ohtani’s agent Nez Balelo and Ohtani’s longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.Seemingly every person who is important to Ohtani’s Dodgers success this season basked in the spotlight, save one.Dave Roberts sat in the audience. What was Dave Roberts doing sitting in the audience?The coronation of a news conference Thursday at Dodger Stadium contained 700…

The Dodgers will unwrap their spectacular holiday prize Thursday with the introductory news conference of Shohei Ohtani, the two-way superstar and two-time American League most valuable player. There’s global appeal with the event scheduled for Thursday afternoon because that’s Friday morning for the audience in Japan.Missing from the festivities will be Dodgers team physician Neal ElAttrache, who has a full slate of NFL surgeries to perform.For him, it’s a routine Thursday.“It’s not that I don’t think it’s a monumental…

There’s almost no such thing as a $700-million bargain in baseball.Then again ...By agreeing to a record-breaking 10-year, $700-million contract with Shohei Ohtani on Saturday, the Dodgers both added a two-time MVP to their star-studded roster and structured the contract — thanks largely to Ohtani’s decision to take an unprecedented amount of deferred money — in a way that should allow them to pursue more impact additions this offseason and beyond.“The deferrals were primarily about allowing the team to be successful on…

I, for one, appreciate the Shohei Ohtani camp’s reticence as to when and where he will sign. Silence is often the best policy. As Tom Lehrer once said, “If people can’t communicate, the very least they can do is shut up.” Bill WaxmanSimi Valley :: I can’t believe I’m writing this, but I hope the Dodgers allow Shohei Ohtani to slip through their fingers again. The club’s front office would be crucified for letting an MVP sign elsewhere when he clearly likes Southern California, but the (at least) $50 million a season he…

NASHVILLE —  The night before this week’s winter meetings launched inside a dystopian resort and convention center, the event’s top storyline was plastered all over Major League Baseball’s official website.The homepage Saturday featured a box in the top right corner titled “Ohtani Watch,” where readers could “keep track of the latest news and rumors.” There was a photo of Shohei Ohtani with a map of the United States and various team logos in the background with a question: “Where will Shohei Ohtani sign?” There was…

Enjoy this while you can, the days when the very air at Angel Stadium feels full of magical possibilities because Shohei Ohtani is pulling double duty on the pitching mound and at the plate.Days like Sunday, when he struck out nine and yielded merely two hits to the American League Central division-leading Minnesota Twins in a six-inning performance that was outstanding by every measure beside his own. And that doesn’t take into account his single to center in the first inning and the intentional walk he drew in the…