The MLB is still recovering from its sports betting scandal involving Cincinnati Reds legend Pete Rose. Following a lifetime ban from the league in 1989, the all-time hits leader has applied for reinstatement several times without any success.
Now, Los Angeles Dodgers’ star Shohei Ohtani is being scrutinized for alleged sports betting activity.
Latest allegations
Recent news of Ohtani being involved in placing bets stems from a 90-minute interview with ESPN, given by the superstar’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. During the interview, Mizuhara indicated that the $4.5 million in wire transfers from Ohtani’s bank account to a bookmaking operation previously run by Mathew Bowyer in Orange County, California, were made to cover Mizuhara’s gambling debt.
Mizuhara expanded on Ohtani’s role during his interview with ESPN, stating, “He decided to pay it off for me.” Later in the interview, he issued an apology, saying, “I want everyone to know Shohei had zero involvement in betting. I want people to know I did not know this was illegal. I learned my lesson the hard way. I will never do sports betting ever again.”
A rep for Ohtani disavowed Mizuhara’s comments about Ohtani sending wire transfers directly to the bookmaker to keep his interpreter from accruing more debt. This led to Mizuhara rescinding his initial comments.
Pete Rose betting scandal
Following Pete Rose’s stint as a player and manager for the Reds, during which he allegedly bet on the team, former MLB Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti banned Rose for life from the MLB in 1989.
Rose still didn’t admit to betting on baseball after accepting the lifetime penalty. He even applied for reinstatement in 1997 and met with MLB Commissioner Bud Selig in 2002, who never issued a ruling on his reinstatement application.
Current Commissioner, Rob Manfred, rejected Rose’s request, stating, “Pete Rose violated what is sort of rule one in baseball, and the consequences of that are clear in the rule, and we’ve continued to abide by our own rules.”
Manfred’s comments were made due to the current prominence of legal sports betting and its affiliation with the MLB.
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