Ippei Mizuhara allegedly stole $16 million over two years from Shohei Ohtani in order to pay off gambling debts. Mizuhara is a longtime interpreter and friend to Ohtani.

Ohtani, referred to in the complaint only as a "professional baseball player," told authorities that he did not authorize the transfers.

Text messages showed that Mizuhara began gambling in September 2021 and began losing "substantial sums of money" later that year. Bank records also show that the phone number and email address on the account were changed to those associated with Mizuhara.

Investigators also relied on recorded phone calls from the bank in which Mizuhara falsely identified himself as Ohtani to "trick and deceive" bank employees into authorizing the transfers.

Mizuhara said he never bet on baseball. Mizuhara allegedly lost bets of nearly $183 million while winning bets of more than $142 million with a net loss of $40.7 million.

Concurrently, attorneys for Ohtani alleged that he had been the victim of a "massive theft."

The former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani is facing federal charges related to his alleged theft of millions from the superstar, according to a source.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that Ippei Mizuhara, 39, is in negotiations to plead guilty and that the investigation is racing toward a conclusion.

The investigation started just three weeks ago when news broke that at least $4.5 million was transmitted from Ohtani's bank account to a California bookmaker under federal investigation.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias has been charged with five misdemeanors in the wake of his September arrest on suspicion of felony domestic violence.

The charges, filed to Los Angeles Superior Court by the city attorney's office Monday, include one count of spousal battery, one count of false imprisonment, one count of assault and two counts of domestic battery involving dating relationship, a spokesperson for the city attorney's office confirmed to ESPN.

Urias, currently a free agent, is scheduled to be arraigned May 2.

Shohei Ohtani draws a lot of attention wherever he's playing, something that has only increased since Major League Baseball began an investigation into his former interpreter's alleged involvement in illegal gambling.

"Regardless of whatever happens off the field, my ability to continue to play baseball hasn't changed. It's my job to make sure that I play to the best of my abilities," he said through his new interpreter, Will Ireton, before the Los Angeles Dodgers played the Minnesota Twins on Monday.

Ohtani, whose recovery from Tommy John elbow surgery is preventing him from pitching this season, has granted few interviews since signing a $700 million deal with the Dodgers. 

Asked how he's been handling the absence of his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, after his close friend was fired for an alleged theft from Ohtani's accounts to cover illegal gambling losses and a connection to a bookmaker under IRS investigation, the Japanese sensation said he's doing just fine.

"It's only been a couple weeks since then, and it's not like I've been doing much aside from just being at the hotel or at home," Ohtani said. "I'm just really grateful and thankful that the team and the personnel has supported me throughout this process."

Jerry Grote, the longtime New York Mets catcher and part of their 1969 World Series championship team, died Sunday because of respiratory failure after a heart procedure in Austin, Texas, his family announced. He was 81.

Grote, known especially for his defense, played 16 seasons, 12 for the Mets, before serving as the backup catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977-78. In 1981, his final year in the majors, he played in 22 games for the Kansas City Royals and two for the Dodgers.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired righty reliever Connor Brogdon from the Philadelphia Phillies for lefty minor league pitcher Benony Robles, the teams announced on Saturday.

Brogdon, 29, was designated for assignment earlier this week after appearing in three games for Philadelphia. Beginning his fifth season with the Phillies, he allowed six runs over two innings before being traded.

The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers face each other this weekend at Wrigley Field, but a year from now they'll likely be doing the same in Japan to open the 2025 season.

MLB has yet to make that official, but Nippon Professional Baseball commissioner Sadayuki Sakakibara said Wednesday that MLB has slated March 19 and 20 for next year's season-opening series.

But Sakakibara did not reveal who will be playing. In the meantime, this weekend's three-game set will be highlighted by matchups of four prominent Japanese-born players.

The Los Angeles Dodgers claimed outfielder Taylor Trammell off waivers from the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers designated left-handed pitcher Matt Gage for assignment.

Walker Buehler, who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, is getting closer to a return to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Buehler had surgery on Aug. 23, 2022 and the Dodgers opted not to rush him back as a reliever last season.

On Sunday, Buehler made his first Triple-A rehab start and threw 54 pitches across 3 1/3 innings. The results weren't great, but he made it through the outing unscathed.

"I think with Walker, he has so many different pitches and weapons, and the most important part is the build up and the execution," Dave Roberts said. "Then, as you get out there further, it's the results. The thing for him -- and for us -- is that he has to be built up to pitch a major league game."

Pitchers get a 30-day minor league rehab window, though teams can request a second 30-day rehab window for pitchers working their way back from elbow reconstruction, so Buehler's rehab stint could go on as long as two months. 

Eight Major League clubs sent representatives to watch NPB pitcher Roki Sasaki's latest start, according to multiple reports.

The New York Yankees, Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals were among the clubs that scouted Sasaki.

Over three NPB seasons, the 22-year-old has thrown 283 2/3 innings with 376 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA.