Top News:
Tisha Thompson / ESPN:
Dodgers fire Shohei Ohtani's interpreter amid allegation of ‘massive theft’ — The Los Angeles Dodgers interpreter for Shohei Ohtani was fired Wednesday afternoon after questions surrounding at least $4.5 million in wire transfers sent from Ohtani's bank account to a bookmaking operation set off a series of events.
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The Athletic, Los Angeles Times, Silver Bulletin, CNN, Awful Announcing, Bleed Cubbie Blue, New York Post, Boston Herald, The Atlantic, Sox Machine, Crashing the Pearly Gates, Yahoo Sports, NBC Los Angeles, Dodgers Nation, Massachusetts Senate …, New York Daily News, East Bay Times, Bleacher Nation, Just Baseball, Politico, Lone Star Ball, Battery Power, True Blue LA, Blazer's Edge and NESN.com
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Los Angeles Times:
Shohei Ohtani's attorneys accuse interpreter of ‘massive theft’ tied to alleged gambling — Representatives of Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday accused his interpreter of engaging in a “massive theft” of the ballplayer's funds to place bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker who is the target of a federal investigation.
Tisha Thompson / ESPN:
Shohei Ohtani, his interpreter and wire transfers: A timeline — The sports world was rocked this week by news that Shohei Ohtani's longtime interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, had been fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers. — But Mizuhara's termination was only the latest sharp turn in a zigzagging …
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Denver Post, Dodgers Nation, Yahoo Sports, True Blue LA and New York Post
Tisha Thompson / ESPN:
Source: Reps for Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani ask to investigate theft — Representatives of Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani have contacted law enforcement authorities and asked them to investigate a “massive theft” of money from the player, a source with direct knowledge told ESPN on Thursday.
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Bluebird Banter, Dodgers Nation, New York Post, Bleacher Nation, Yahoo Sports, Awful Announcing and True Blue LA
T.J. Quinn / ESPN:
MLB opens investigation into Shohei Ohtani, former interpreter — Major League Baseball has opened a formal investigation into the matter surrounding Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, the league announced Friday.
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True Blue LA, Bleacher Nation, Los Angeles Times, Dodgers Nation and The Athletic
Fabian Ardaya / The Athletic:
Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers keep mum in aftermath of interpreter theft accusation — SEOUL — For years, it was nearly impossible to see Shohei Ohtani anywhere without his longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, just a few steps away. On Thursday, following Mizuhara's abrupt firing over his involvement …
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Cup of Coffee, Dodgers Nation, Los Angeles Times, Awful Announcing, New York Post and Yahoo Sports
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
J.D. Martinez's Mets season will begin with minor league at-bats — TAMPA - J.D. Martinez will not begin the season with the Mets and instead will build up with minor league at-bats initially, The Post has learned. — Martinez still had to undergo his physical before his heavily deferred one-year, $12 million contract is complete.
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Newsday, Newsday, NESN.com, New York Daily News, SNY, Yahoo Sports, Amazin' Avenue, Boston.com, True Blue LA, MLB Trade Rumors and baseballmusings.com
Melanie Martinez-Lopez / MLB.com:
Munguia earns Giants' Nugent Award with standout spring — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Ismael Munguia continues to have the Spring Training of his dreams. — His hard work and dedication were recognized Thursday when he was named the recipient of the 2024 Barney Nugent Award prior to the Giants' 7-6 win against the Brewers.
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McCovey Chronicles, Yahoo Sports and Mercury News
Adam Himmelsbach / The Boston Globe:
Jrue Holiday is nursing a ‘dead arm,’ but the Celtics have no need to rush him back — DETROIT — The Celtics emerged from Friday night's 129-102 deconstruction of the Pistons with an 11-game lead over the second-place Bucks in the Eastern Conference with 12 games remaining.
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CelticsBlog, Ivy League does it again …, Hoops Rumors, NESN.com and masslive.com
Miami Herald:
An update on Marlins pitcher Eury Perez and the diagnosis after elbow discomfort — Marlins right-hander Eury Perez, who's considered one of the most talented young pitchers in baseball and a key piece of the team's rotation, will begin the season on the injured list after being diagnosed …
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MLB Trade Rumors
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Inside the battle raging in the MLBPA — and what's next — IN THE IMMEDIATE aftermath of the Zoom call Monday night that threw the Major League Baseball Players Association into chaos, a veteran player, stunned at the mutiny that had unfolded in front of him, said to himself, “What the f— was that?”
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baseballmusings.com, CBSSports.com, The Athletic, MLB Trade Rumors, Associated Press and New York Post
Evan Petzold / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers send 6 players to minor league camp in fourth round of roster cuts — LAKELAND, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers reassigned six players, including two pitchers who competed in the big leagues last season, to minor league camp Thursday morning in the fourth round of spring training cuts.
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MLB Trade Rumors