When Joe Rogan insinuated Yakuza's connection with Shohei Ohtani (Credits: Getty)
Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani's free agency shook the baseball world last offseason as the two-way phenom signed a record-breaking $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, the start of his tenure with the NL West team couldn't have started on a worse note. While Ohtani was preparing for his MLB debut with the Dodgers, news reports emerged that his translator and then-close friend, Ippei Mizuhara, stole the Japanese slugger's bank accounts to cover his gambling debt.
Initially, Ohtani's camp reported that the two-time MVP had helped Mizuhara by lending him money to cover his debt. However, Mizuhara and Ohtani's representatives confirmed that the Japanese star was unaware of his translator's gambling debt and was a victim of theft. According to initial reports in March, Mizuhara stole $4.5 million from Ohtani's account.
