Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Hopes For More Direct Communication With Shohei Ohtani
When he managed the Angels, Joe Maddon routinely praised Ippei Mizuhara’s ability to serve as a go-between communicator for two-way star Shohei Ohtani. As Ohtani’s personal interpreter, there were obvious instances when an Japanese-to-English translation was necessary, or vice versa.
There were less obvious instances too. Maddon once described to Sports Illustrated how he would rely on text messages with Mizuhara to give the team necessary updates that would ordinarily come from a player himself.
That degree of reliance might not have been representative of the industry standard among Japanese players and their interpreters. It was for Ohtani and Mizuhara, as the last week has taught us.
Last Wednesday in Seoul, the Dodgers fired Mizuhara upon learning he had squandered some $4.5 million of Ohtani’s personal money to cover his gambling debts. Ohtani addressed the matter for the first time in public Monday, saying he had no knowledge of Mizuhara transferring money from his bank accounts, alleging theft.
In the wreckage of the public breakup between Ohtani and his interpreter, the Dodgers might have found a positive: less reliance on an interpreter.
The Dodgers replaced Mizuhara with Will Ireton, who joined the organization as Kenta Maeda’s interpreter in 2016. Ireton remained with the Dodgers in a variety of roles after Maeda was traded to the Minnesota Twins in 2020. He and Ohtani had no personal relationship prior to this season.
In theory and in practice, Ireton’s relationship with Ohtani could strictly be one of interpreting when necessary at the ballpark. That would stand in stark contrast to the relationship between Mizuhara and Ohtani, which has come under a very public microscope over the last week.
Besides forcing Ohtani to take a closer look at many areas of his life, his falling out with Mizuhara might cause him to draw closer to those around him in the Dodgers’ clubhouse — not just his interpreter.
It’s unclear how or if that might translate to better performance on the field, particularly after a season in which Ohtani captured the American League MVP award. If it makes Ohtani a more engaged personality at the ballpark, his next 10 years in MLB could at least be more fun than his last six.
Related Reading:
Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Gives His Thoughts on Shohei Ohtani Investigation
Bombshell Report Questions Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter’s Credibility About Basic Details
Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter Now Being Criminally Investigated, Per Report
Dodgers Release Statement Regarding Shohei Ohtani, Ippei Mizuhara Situation
Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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