In a recent interview on the Starkville podcast, former Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon opened up about his thoughts on the gambling scandal involving Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. As Ohtani's former manager and a witness to their friendship, Maddon expressed his disbelief and sorrow over the situation.

During their time together with the Angels from 2020 until the middle of the 2022 season, Ohtani rose to become an international superstar, earning multiple accolades including All-Star appearances and an MVP award. However, the team as a whole struggled to meet expectations. Maddon was eventually fired, and Ohtani decided to join the Los Angeles Dodgers in search of a winning environment.

Unfortunately, Ohtani's transition to Los Angeles was marred by the revelation of his split with Mizuhara after allegations emerged that the interpreter had embezzled millions from Ohtani to settle his own gambling debts. Maddon, who witnessed the friendship between the two firsthand, expressed his shock and heartbreak over the situation.

Maddon revealed in the podcast interview, "When I read all this, heard all this, I just did not want to believe any of it. The fact that Ippei would be disloyal to Shohei was, like, really a thought that I could not even fathom and never even imagined. And I was upset. I was viscerally upset about the whole thing."

The narrative surrounding the scandal has seen some twists and turns. Initially, Ohtani's representatives informed ESPN that Ohtani had voluntarily paid off Mizuhara's debts. However, Ohtani's legal team later intervened, stating that Mizuhara had stolen the funds without Ohtani's knowledge. Ohtani and his team have been maintaining this version of events since then.

Maddon, acknowledging the close relationship between a player and their interpreter, found Ohtani's story believable. He explained, "Interpreters tend to have very close relationships with their clients, even helping them outside of the ballpark, such as with stressful financial conversations. Ippei could have had access to at least one of Ohtani's bank accounts."

However, Maddon raised a valid question. As Ohtani's agency acts as the central authority overseeing his affairs, it is puzzling that they did not notice the disappearance of $4.5 million. This raises further queries that Ohtani's team will need to address and clarify.

The gambling scandal has undoubtedly shaken the MLB community. As Ohtani continues to assert that he was a victim of Mizuhara's embezzlement, it remains to be seen how this situation will further evolve. For now, Ohtani seeks to focus on his career with the Dodgers, while the Angels organization grapples with the fallout from this shocking revelation.

As fans await further updates, it is clear that Ohtani and his former manager share a deep disappointment over the heartbreaking turn of events in their once-close relationship.