In a twist that reads like a hardball drama, the Los Angeles Dodgers axed the interpreter for Japanese baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani this week following explosive allegations of theft and illicit gambling activities. Ippei Mizuhara, who has been with Ohtani since 2018, was allegedly caught in the cookie jar, using the player's funds to bet with a bookmaker under federal scrutiny, as reported by The Los Angeles Times. A statement from the Dodgers confirmed the termination but did not wade further into choppy waters, "The Dodgers are aware of media reports and are gathering information; the team can confirm that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara has been terminated, the team has no further comment at this time."

Flashing the legal leather, Berk Brettler LLP, Ohtani's attorneys, stepped up to the plate and are preparing to hand the issue over to law enforcement, "In the course of responding to recent media inquiries we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and we are turning the matter over to the authorities," as obtained by NBC News. Caught in the crosshairs of a federal investigation is bookmaker Matthew Bowyer, and while Bowyer's attorneys maintain he never brushed bases with Ohtani, the pitcher's bank account sees the missing millions as a grand slam gone wrong, with ESPN'S Tisha Thompson citing at least $4.5 million flowing into Bowyer's operation.

The sordid tale unraveled further with Mizuhara initially playing defense, telling ESPN in a 90-minute chinwag he was the one swinging and missing on sports bets - but not baseball - a relief to MLB fans considering the league's zero-tolerance policy on players and employees punting on the sport, which leads to ejection for a year as noted by NBC News. "Obviously, he [Ohtani] wasn’t happy about it and said he would help me out to make sure I never do this again," Mizuhara purportedly admitted to ESPN. Yet when crunch time came, and ESPN was ready to go to press, there was a sudden signal change from Ohtani's team who then disputed Mizuhara's version of events.

Tugging at the threads of this story, The Los Angeles Times reported Ohtani's name popped up during the ordeal involving Bowyer based on a tip, prompting a closer look at the interpreter's actions, sources spilled that the amounts pocketed tallied to the millions. Barring this off-field fiasco Ohtani, who has since inked a colossal 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, continues to bat over .300 among his fans – recently tying the knot and making a splash on social media about his better half amidst keen follower frenzy, according to details from NBC News. With the pitch clock ticking, the developments in this high-stakes game remain closely watched, lest the next fastball turns into another curveball scandal.