Rob Manfred makes first public comments on MLB’s Shohei Ohtani investigation

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred spoke publicly for the first time Thursday regarding the league’s investigation into Shohei Ohtani’s connection to former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.

In an appearance on MLB Network’s “High Heat with Chris Russo” Thursday, Manfred admitted that the investigation into the Ohtani situation will be a complicated one. The league is looking into the situation at the same time the federal government is conducting its own investigation, preventing full cooperation between the two entities, at least initially. 

Manfred did say, however, that he hopes the league’s investigation proves to be a brief one.

“It’s really difficult for the federal authorities to cooperate with us fully when they have their own ongoing investigation so I think this is one where we’ll have to proceed on our own,” Manfred said, via ESPN. “We never have the kind of authority that law enforcement people have but we manage to get these investigations done and find the facts and I’m sure we will on this one.

“I hope [it’s] short, but I just don’t know.”

Ohtani is facing questions regarding gambling debts that Mizuhara accumulated to an illegal bookmaker, and whether Ohtani knowingly helped repay those debts. Ohtani has denied betting on baseball and claimed Mizuhara stole money from him to pay back his debts.

MLB opened an investigation into the allegations last week, though most doubt Ohtani will see any serious consequences, at least from the league itself.