Pete Rose recently weighed in on the unfolding controversy involving baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who is accused of embezzling $4.5 million from Ohtani to settle his own gambling debts.
Rose, known as the all-time hit leader in Major League Baseball, offered his take on the situation with a hint of sarcasm in an Instagram video that quickly circulated on social media platforms.
In a brief 21-second clip, Rose quipped, “Well, back in the 70s and 80s, I wish I’d had an interpreter. I’d be scot-free.” The video also featured Matt Thrash sitting beside Rose, though the details of the recording’s time and location remain unspecified.
Rose, a Cincinnati Reds icon, was permanently banned from baseball in 1989 following an MLB investigation that concluded he had bet on games, including 50 Reds games in 1987.
The recent scandal involving Ohtani’s former interpreter has reignited discussions about the intersection of betting and sports, casting a spotlight on this contentious issue.
The saga took a peculiar turn when Mizuhara, in a 90-minute ESPN interview, initially claimed Ohtani was aware of the money transfers made in his name to an illegal bookmaking operation allegedly run by Mathew Bowyer. However, Mizuhara later retracted his statements, which were also disavowed by a spokesperson for the Dodgers star.
Ohtani, addressing the media for the first time since the scandal broke, firmly stated he had never placed bets on baseball, used a bookmaker, or agreed to cover Mizuhara’s gambling debts. “Up until a couple of days ago, I didn’t know this was happening,” Ohtani revealed. He only became aware of the situation when Mizuhara addressed the Dodgers after their first game in Seoul, South Korea, admitting to the theft and deception.