Baseball

Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts tells TMZ Sports despite all of the recent drama surrounding Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter ... L.A. is absolutely locked in on the 2024 season.

Betts made it clear to us while out at a charity appearance at a Raising Cane's in Alhambra, Calif. that the Ippei Mizuhara gambling scandal is just not a distraction.

"No, no, no, no," the shortstop said. "We're just focused on business. Taking care of business and that's all we keep first."

Before Mookie Betts steps up to the dish for the Dodgers for their home opener, he was out serving dishes at Raising Cane's ... doling out a bunch of chicken and fries to a grip of fans who turned out to support him.

The shortstop worked a shift at the fast food chain's location in Alhambra, Calif. some 24 hours before L.A. takes on the Cardinals at Dodger Stadium in order to raise some funds for his foundation ... and hundreds flocked to the eatery to get a glimpse of the baseball star.

Mookie was in great spirits as he worked the cash register ... handing out tendies and Texas Toast with a big smile on his face.

Betts also signed autographs for those who ordered from him -- before he addressed the massive crowd that showed up.

The 31-year-old thanked everybody -- and then he received a $100,000 donation from Cane's for his charity.

Amid all of the festivities, Betts spoke with TMZ Sports about getting behind the counter ... saying he was sure his many times as a drive-thru customer would translate to the other side of the window.

Yankees outfielder Oscar Gonzalez is currently resting in a hospital -- this after he broke his eye socket in a scary moment during an exhibition game Monday night.

Gonzalez was at the plate in the middle of NY's tilt against the Diablos Rojos del Mexico in Mexico City when he got pitched inside -- and foul tipped the ball right into his face.

Video from the game's broadcast shows the 26-year-old crumpled in pain immediately ... as trainers raced out to the field to tend to him.

Shohei Ohtani just broke his silence on the gambling scandal surrounding his former interpreter -- and the Dodgers star was adamant he never placed any sports bets.

The 29-year-old addressed the media on Monday afternoon for the first time since Ippei Mizuhara was fired for allegedly using some of the baseball player's funds to gamble with an illegal bookmaker.

Ohtani told reporters through his new translator, Will Ireton, that he had no idea what was going on with the situation up until a team meeting following the Dodgers' first game of the season last week in Korea.

A baseball fan was super bummed he didn't receive an Adolis Garcia signed baseball ... but what he got was so much better, courtesy of the MLB superstar, Fanatics, and Michael Rubin!

It all started earlier this month when a fan named Sean Deitrick went on X to express displeasure about not receiving a baseball signed by Garcia, which he previously ordered from apparel giant, Fanatics (Garcia's signing was delayed, thus no ball).

Deitrick's mood ... "So, so bummed."

The tweet got enough attention that it made its way to the screen of Rubin, Fanatics founder ... and the management team.

A few weeks later, Sean provided an update, writing, "[Fanatics] was really nice and tried to help me get another ball, but I told them I already had one and figured that was that."

Cue the big surprise.

"Then, today, they surprised me with a DM from [Adolis Garcia]," he wrote on X, before saying, "I'm going to Opening Day!!! 🙏🙏🙏"

Sure enough, Fanatics reached out ... and was going to get the fan a signed ball, but he'd already found Garcia's John Hancock elsewhere. Rather than stopping there, Rubin and Fanatics wanted to do something special for the guy.

They reached out to the 31-year-old, 2x All-Star ... who then recorded a message for Deitrick, and sent it to him via direct message on social media.

"Hi Sean, Fanatics told me you're a big fan, and I can't wait to see you at the home opener at Arlington Stadium!"

Tom Brady has some competition for best athlete in the family ... 'cause his college softball star niece just launched her 62 home run of her career, good enough to rank her third in UCLA history ... and TB12 is hyped!

The NFL G.O.A.T. gave his niece Maya Brady -- a senior shortstop at UCLA -- a shoutout on Instagram after she smashed two home runs during the 14th-ranked Bruins game against Washington on Sunday.

Maya didn't only lead her Bruins to a 6-0 win over the 8th ranked Husky's, but her two bombs moved her into third place on the all-time home run list at the university, and Uncle Tommy's proud!

"Sorry peeps it just runs in the family," Brady wrote on Sunday. "LFG @mayabrady!"

Of course, Tom's no stranger to records ... but neither is Maya. She was the 2023 Pac-12 Player of the Year and the Pac-12 Batting Champion with a .456 average.

Maya, BTW, is the eldest daughter of Tom's older sister, and the softball star has said she views her unc as more of a "father figure."

The 22-year-old also strives to do her best to represent the Brady name.

"It’s just good pressure," Maya told The Athletic. "I love bearing the last name. I’m just really proud of it."

3/22 -- 3:18 PM PT -- MLB just announced it has officially launched its probe into the matter ... saying, "Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhari from the news media."

"Earlier today, our DOI began their formal process investigating the matter."

MLB is doing its due diligence with Shohei Ohtani ... with sources telling TMZ Sports that league officials are gathering information to determine if the face of baseball was involved in the gambling scandal surrounding his translator.

Ohtani's inteprator and best friend Ippei Mizuhara has given conflicting stories on Shohei's involvement ... first saying the Dodgers superstar was well aware of his huge gambling debts, and loaned him millions of dollars to get out of the hole. He later backtracked, saying the Japanese two-way athlete had no idea.

As for Ohtani, his attorney claims he's been the victim of a "massive theft."

Now, MLB's trying to figure out what the hell is going on -- not necessarily because they believe Shohei did anything wrong -- but because gambling is an existential threat to any pro sport.

Look no further than Pete Rose ... who despite his exploits on the diamond, was banned for life in 1989 after he admitted to wagering on games -- although no one has accused Ohtani of betting on baseball, or any other sport for that matter.

It's worth noting, it sounds like Ohtani -- who signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers this offseason -- has nothing to hide.

We're told his team alerted authorities to the "theft" ... and the feds are currently investigating.

No one connected to the probe has been arrested.

The Dodgers are 1-1 on the season, and their newly signed star is off to a solid start, despite the scandal ... collecting 3 hits and 2 RBIs in 10 plate appearances on the season.

Fernando Tatis Jr. had some solid pump-up music as he prepared for his game against the Dodgers on Thursday ... casually stretching just feet away from K-pop group (G)I-dle's pregame show!!

The San Diego Padres superstar was spotted limbering up prior to Game 2 of the MLB Seoul Series at Gocheok Sky Dome ... and just like the day prior with aespa, the host city booked a big-name act to get the crowd ready for the contest.

Soyeon, Minnie, Miyeon, Yuqi and Shuhua made their way onto the field to belt out some tunes prior to the Dodgers vs. Padres game ... doing renditions of "Super Lady," "Tomboy" and "Queencard."

Tatis Jr. had the best seat in the house for the 10-minute set ... and he didn't seem to mind one bit that there was a full-blown concert going on right in front of him.

Perhaps the music helped ... 'cause FTJ had a much better outing on Thursday ... going 2-4 with two runs and an RBI.

As for (G)I-dle, it also marked the first time since member Shuhua rejoined the group after a month-long hiatus to focus on her health ... so it was quite the special day for Neverland all around.

Shohei Ohtani has a new righthand man in Korea ... the Dodgers have appointed Will Ireton to be his interpreter -- this less than 24 hours after Ippei Mizuhara was canned due to his alleged role in a gambling scandal.

L.A. manager Dave Roberts refused to comment on the entire Mizuhara saga in a pregame meeting with reporters Thursday ... but he did confirm Ireton -- the team's manager of performance operations who previously helped Kenta Maeda with communicating -- will fill in for Ohtani's former translator for the time being.

Roberts also said Ireton would handle interpreting duties for Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

And, it didn't take long for Ireton to make his impact felt during the Dodgers' second game of the season against the Padres in Seoul. As Yamamoto struggled in his debut versus San Diego, it was Ireton who hit the mound to help relay coaches' words.

Ireton was also seen standing close by to Ohtani in the dugout throughout the game.

So far, Ohtani's looked solid despite all of the distractions surrounding him, he's currently 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI -- and he just nearly missed hitting a home run in the seventh inning.

As we previously reported, Mizuhara -- who had just worked as Ohtani's translator during the season-opener against the Pads on Wednesday -- was fired in the hours following Game 1 after Ohtani's attorneys accused him of stealing money from the two-way star in order to place bets with an alleged illegal bookmaker.

Roberts told media members he "can't say anything" regarding the matter ... but he did tell journalists Ohtani was "ready" for game action in spite of the outside noise.

L.A. is currently down 12-9.

3/21, 7:10 AM -- Ippei Mizuhara told ESPN that Ohtani knew of his gambling debts and agreed to pay them off in exchange for a promise -- the interpreter would never gamble again.

"Obviously, [Ohtani] wasn't happy about it and said he would help me out to make sure I never do this again," Ippei initially said, adding, "He decided to pay it off for me.

But, Mizuhara then seemingly changed his story, saying, "I want everyone to know Shohei had zero involvement in betting. I want people to know I did not know this was illegal. I learned my lesson the hard way. I will never do sports betting ever again."

Ippei Mizuhara -- the Japanese interpreter who's been Shohei Ohtani's righthand man for nearly a decade -- has been fired by the Dodgers ... after Ohtani's attorneys claim he engaged in a "massive theft" of the two-way star's fortune.

The lawyers -- from the LA-based law firm Berk Brettler -- said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times they uncovered the alleged stealing after Ohtani's name had surfaced in a federal investigation of an alleged illegal bookmaker, Mathew Bowyer.

According to The Times, Mizuhara was accused of taking some of Ohtani's funds and using them to place bets with Bowyer. Ohtani's attorneys told the outlet they're now going to cops to have them investigate their findings further.

"In the course of responding to recent media inquiries," the lawyers said, "we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and we are turning the matter over to the authorities."

The Dodgers confirmed Wednesday afternoon they let go of Mizuhara following the claims. No further comment from the team was added.

Mizuhara and Ohtani just joined the Dodgers this season ... after the two-time MVP signed with them in free agency on a 10-year, $700 million deal.

Prior to putting on Dodger Blue, the duo worked together throughout Ohtani's six historic seasons as an L.A. Angel.

Story developing ...

Shohei Ohtani's wife couldn't contain her excitement when the MLB superstar earned the first hit of his Dodger career ... cheering on her man from the stands throughout his big debut!!

Mamiko Tanaka -- who was recently revealed as the Japanese athlete's partner -- was present for L.A.'s season opener against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea on Wednesday ... and there was plenty to be happy about.

Ohtani logged the first hit of the contest in the third inning ... hitting a line drive to right field for a single.

The broadcast quickly cut to Tanaka -- à la Taylor Swift at a Kansas City Chiefs game -- and she was shouting and clapping with fellow family members and friends as Ohtani reached first base.

The vibes continued in the 8th inning ... when Ohtani's second hit of the night brought home a run.

She was spotted high-fiving with fans decked out in Ohtani merch ... and had a huge smile on her face.

The $700 million man ended up going 2-5 from the plate on the day ... securing an RBI and a stolen base en route to the Dodgers' 5-2 win over the division rival.

As we previously reported, Tanaka is quite the sports star in her own right -- she played several years of professional basketball in Japan.

Shohei Ohtani had a much more stressful leadup to his Dodgers' debut Wednesday than anyone could have imagined -- he was reportedly the target of a pregame bomb threat ... although, thankfully, it all turned out to be fake.

According to the Yonhap News Agency, just prior to L.A.'s season-opening matchup against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, someone had sent a menacing email to local authorities.

The outlet reported that in the note, the person claimed they were going to detonate a bomb at the Gocheok Sky Dome ... specifically looking to harm Ohtani and others.

Fortunately, however, it was deemed to be a non-credible threat.

The MLB said in a statement they were investigating the matter -- calling "the safety and security of our fans and everyone in the ballparks where we play" their top priority -- but continued with the game nonetheless.

So far, there's been no issues whatsoever with the contest -- in the top of the ninth inning, the Dodgers lead, 5-2.

Ohtani, meanwhile, is clearly feeling no effects from the scare ... he's 2-for-5 on the night with an RBI and a stolen base.

The Dodgers arrived in Korea last week and played a couple exhibition games before taking on the Pads in the season opener.

Stray Kids member Seungmin is way more than a K-pop superstar -- the vocalist proved he's got some serious skills on the mound as well ... throwing a perfect strike during the ceremonial first pitch at the MLB Seoul Series game!!

1/8 of the popular boy group was present for the Los Angeles Dodgers' exhibition game against Team Korea at Gocheok SkyDome on Monday ... but he wasn't just there to watch -- he also got to show off his arm prior to the start of the contest.

As it turns out, Seungmin's first love was baseball ... and he played the sport for years before switching over to music.

It's clear it wasn't his first rodeo ... 'cause the windup and follow through look super polished -- and his toss landed right down the middle of the plate.

Fittingly, SKZ's hit song, "LALALALA," was blaring over the PA system as he made his attempt.

Seungmin also shared a moment with Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly after the impressive outing ... posing for a pic and swapping his Team Korea hat for an LA cap.

But he eventually switched back to his original lid as he took his seat in the stands ... repping the home team as he enjoyed a beer and locked in on the action unfolding on the diamond.

The idol's pitch wasn't the only one to turn heads at the Seoul Series ... actress Jeon Jong-seo also appeared to be a fan favorite the day prior, even grabbing the attention of some Dodger players.

"Are you telling me that you recognize the fact that maybe you did do steroids?"

That's the question a FOX 32 reporter in Chicago asked Sammy Sosa on Friday -- and suffice it to say the slugger wasn't very happy -- laughing uncomfortably for several seconds before responding, "This is not a question that I expected from you."

55-year-old Sosa is back in Chi-town, where he played 13 seasons, for the first time in years, and there's hope this could finally be the moment the former NL MVP and the organization repair their fractured relationship.

The rift goes back years ... and although it can't be attributed to solely one thing, the beef reportedly centers around Sosa's failure to admit and apologize for alleged steroid use during his playing career.

Enter the local FOX reporter -- who began his line of questioning by asking Sammy if a reconciliation could be on the horizon.

"Well like I said, I'm a mature man. I think that's a possibility that we can do that. I'm open. I don't have a problem with that. I had a lot of misunderstandings in the past but now I'm a real man. I feel great. I recognize my mistake. So, why not?" Sosa responded.

Cue the 'roids question, and Sammy's uncomfortable response.

Awkward moment aside, it's encouraging for Cubs fans to hear their former superstar say he's open to making peace ... especially considering he's one of the org's greatest players ever.

Sosa and Mark McGwire almost single-handedly brought back baseball in 1998 ... following the 1994 labor strike (that ended in April '95). Fans were fed up with both players and owners, but Sammy and Mark's incredible displays of power brought fans back to the park and television set.

That season, Sosa hit an astounding 66 long balls, while McGwire launched a whopping 70!

Sadly, many fans' memories of the race, and the entire career of Sosa, a 7x All-Star who hit 609 homers, have been tainted by steroid accusations.

Somebody get Olivia Dunne an NIL deal with an electronics company ASAP ... 'cause she watched her boyfriend's baseball game on quite possibly the world's smallest laptop -- and even the MLB's official account trolled her over it!!

The superstar LSU gymnast and influencer was locked in on Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect Paul Skenes' Spring Breakout matchup against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday ... catching his impressive performance from the comfort of her couch.

But Livvy -- the highest-paid female college athlete thanks to numerous endorsements -- didn't have a baller set up for the occasion ... hunching over a cute little computer screen as she observed every pitch.

In fact, when Livvy shared the scene with her 7.9 million followers on TikTok ... a ton of people flooded the comments to roast her viewing apparatus -- including MLB's own account.

"Your computer is too big how’d you get that thing through the door," the league said.

Livvy took the joke in stride ... replying, "a forklift."

It was a great day for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft -- Skenes put his 100-plus MPH heater on display, striking out against Jackson Holliday, the top selection in 2022 (and ex-MLB star Matt Holliday's son).

Skenes finished the one-inning outing with two total strikeouts ... and the Bucs won the game, 3-1.

Shohei Ohtani just finally revealed his lovely wife -- it's Japanese basketball player Mamiko Tanaka!!

The Dodgers superstar -- who got the largest contract in sports history this past offseason -- recently announced he married "someone from my Native country of Japan who is very special to me" ... but did not disclose her identity.

Ohtani and his team put an end to all the speculation on Thursday ... sharing a photo of the newlyweds on their way to Seoul, South Korea for the Dodgers' season opener on March 20th.

The woman was quickly ID'd as Tanaka, a 27-year-old basketball player who played for Waseeda University and the Women's Japan Basketball League's Fujitsu Red Wave.

The 5-foot-11 forward/center averaged 7.8 points and 6 rebounds per game ... so they're really quite the athletic couple!!

Ohtani said he and Tanaka have known each other for three to four years ... but their actual wedding date is unknown.

He also said she had no impact on his decision during free agency ... but pointed out Tanaka has a great understanding of his profession.