Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, was involved in a gambling scandal that shocked the MLB world before the 2024 season. Ohtani was hoping to focus on baseball after signing a historic contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers but was instead forced to deal with off-the-field distractions. Everyone around the MLB world wondered how Ohtani would respond. Shohei has continued to excel on the field and has even had a major change, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Rosenthal notes that Ohtani has become “more assertive” since the departure of his former interpreter. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and multiple players said he's become more “independent” and “interactive,” per Rosenthal.

Mizuhara was not just an interpreter for Ohtani. Rather, he was a friend of the Dodgers star. The betrayal surely left Ohtani in a difficult spot, but he has responded in a professional manner.

His on-field performance has not been negatively impacted and he's clearly taking strides off the field as well. Ohtani has found his comfort zone in Los Angeles with the Dodgers and fans are excited for what the future holds.

Shohei Ohtani's big 2024 season

People around the MLB world were not sure what to expect from Ohtani heading into 2024. Even before the scandal occurred, there were question marks about how the superstar would play in a huge market with the Dodgers.

Ohtani has silenced all of his doubters to say the least. The 30-year-old was selected to his fourth consecutive All-Star game in 2024 and is slashing .315/.401/.638/1.039. His .638 slugging percentage and 1.039 OPS lead the league.

Additionally, Ohtani leads the league with 30 home runs, 78 runs scored, 243 total bases and a 190 OPS-plus. Ohtani is on track to win his third overall and second consecutive MVP award. However, this would obviously be his first time winning the award in the National League.

There is no question that Ohtani is playing well. He will finally receive the opportunity to play in the postseason as well. MLB fans are excited to see how Shohei Ohtani performs during his first taste of playoff action at the MLB level.