Dodgers’ superstar Ohtani has hit, RBI in 1st game after accusing ex-interpreter of theft

Playing in his first game since accusing his former interpreter of stealing his money to cover gambling debts, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani had a hit and an RBI in Seoul on Thursday.

Batting second as designated hitter, Ohtani went 1-for-5 and also scored a run, as the Dodgers fell to the San Diego Padres 15-11 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.

It was the second and the final game of Major League Baseball (MLB)’s Seoul Series — the first time MLB has played regular season games in South Korea.

Earlier Thursday, the Dodgers fired Ohtani’s longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, who is being accused of “massive theft” by Ohtani’s legal representatives. Mizuhara, who had been with Ohtani since his Los Angeles Angels days in 2018, allegedly took money from Ohtani’s bank account and transferred it to a bookmaker under a federal investigation.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had said pregame that Ohtani would be ready to play, despite the circumstances, and Ohtani responded with one hit, one RBI and one run.

After the Padres scored five times in the top of the first, Ohtani stepped up in the bottom first and lined a single to right field against starter Joe Musgrove.

In the bottom second, with one out and runners on second and third, Ohtani hit a sacrifice fly to right that cut the Dodgers’ deficit to 5-2. It was his second RBI of the series.

Ohtani came on again in the bottom third, now the Padres up 9-6. The Dodgers were in the midst of a four-run inning, but Ohtani couldn’t keep the line moving with a runner at second, as he hit a weak comebacker to pitcher Tom Cosgrove to end the inning.

Ohtani flied out to right field in the bottom fifth in another fruitless trip to the plate.

For a brief moment in the bottom seventh, Ohtani brought thousands of fans to their feet, as he drilled a first-pitch slider from Japanese reliever Yuki Matsui to deep right field. The ball died in the end and was caught right in front of the wall, drawing groans from Dodgers fans.

Ohtani represented the go-ahead run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, after Mookie Betts had made it a 12-11 game with a single and reached second on a throw. But Ohtani only managed a groundout to first base to end that Dodger threat.

Ohtani left Gocheok without speaking to the media. The Dodgers’ clubhouse opened for the media a few minutes after the final out but club officials notified reporters beforehand that Ohtani would not grant any interviews.

In a brief chat with the media, Betts said it was “not very difficult” for him to turn the page and focus on the game after what had transpired over the past 24 hours or so.

“I mean, it kind of is what it is,” he said. “I hope Sho is good. You know, at the end of the day, we have to make sure we take care of our jobs and no matter what cards we’re dealt, we’ve got to go play them.”