Shohei Ohtani to make assertion on playing scandal Monday, however MLB star will not take questions, per report

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani will converse with the media on Monday for the primary time since Main League Baseball opened an investigation into allegations that his longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara — since fired by the Dodgers — had positioned unlawful bets on non-baseball sports activities and Ohtani’s checking account was used to pay an unlawful bookmaker. Ohtani will reportedly converse round 5:45 p.m. ET and make a press release. He’s not anticipated to reply questions from reporters, per ESPN.

MLB’s coverage permits personnel to gamble on non-diamond sports activities (e.g. baseball and softball) supplied that such exercise is authorized in that jurisdiction. Sports activities betting stays unlawful in California, nevertheless. That, in flip, explains why Mizuhara is alleged to have positioned his bets with an accused bookmaker on the heart of a federal investigation. 

The accused bookmaker, Matthew Bowyer, has denied via his lawyer that he ever talked to or met Ohtani, however Mizuhara initially claimed that Ohtani voluntarily paid off his playing money owed. Mizuhara later modified his story, stating that Ohtani was not conscious of the scenario. A regulation agency representing Ohtani informed CBS Sports activities that the two-way celebrity “has been the sufferer of an enormous theft.”

Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts informed reporters on Sunday, together with Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Instances, that he thinks it will be “good” for Ohtani to talk with the media in regards to the scenario. He reiterated that he doesn’t consider the Ohtani-Mizuhara story has been a distraction to the remainder of the clubhouse.

The Dodgers opened the MLB season final week with a two-game set in Seoul, South Korea towards the San Diego Padres. The Dodgers, who went 1-1 in these video games, will now shut out their exhibition schedule with three video games towards the Los Angeles Angels. The Dodgers will then return to their common season schedule on March 28, with a four-game set at house towards the St. Louis Cardinals.

Ohtani, for his half, went 3 for 10 with two runs batted in in the course of the Seoul Sequence.