Sports Talk

#27 Sports Talk – MLB's Seoul Series and the Ippei Mizuhara Gambling Scandal

The Seoul Series was overshadowed by Shohei Ohtani's interpreter being fired for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from him to pay gambling debts.

Published

7 months ago

March 28, 2024

Ed Odeven

There was no shortage of news during MLB's season-opening Seoul Series on March 20-21. This podcast episode highlights the whirlwind days in the South Korean capital.

In between the two Los Angeles Dodgers versus San Diego Padres games, Shohei Ohtani's longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara was fired after allegations of "massive theft" from the baseball superstar to cover gambling debts surfaced.

Sports reporter Jim Armstrong was there. In this episode, Armstrong and SportsLook editor Ed Odeven talk about the atmosphere surrounding MLB's first regular-season series in South Korea. As they review the event, they also analyze the performances of Ohtani, Dodgers Game 2 starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Padres Game 1 starter Yu Darvish.

Looking Back at the Seoul Series

Armstrong shares observations about heightened security at the Gocheok Sky Dome before the opening game. This came after a reported bomb threat directed at Ohtani. He also provides a few recollections about the Korean fans' spirited embrace of both teams, especially Ohtani.

The reporter and sports editor discuss the magnitude of the scandal and how it overshadowed media coverage of the games while also noting that legalized sports betting has had exponential growth in the United States in recent years. Additionally, they addressed the uncertainty of how this scandal will impact Ohtani's reputation and career.

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