I’ve already got my popcorn ready for this one.
Do you guys remember that gambling scandal that surrounded Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani because of ex-translator Ippei Mizuhara stealing millions from him to pay off a bookie? … Welp, that interesting saga is apparently being made into a television show. (RELATED: LSU Softball’s Sydney Berzon Throws Whopping 208 Pitches During Incredible 14-Inning Gem In SEC Tournament Win)
A scripted series is currently being developed by Lionsgate Television that will highlight the craziness that sent off a wildfire around baseball’s poster boy and exposed his translator (and friend) for allegedly stealing around $17 million from him. The alleged theft stemmed from Mizuhara paying off betting debts to a bookmaker in California, according to the studio per the New York Post.
“This is major league baseball’s biggest sports gambling scandal since Pete Rose – and at its center is its biggest star, one that MLB has hitched its wagon on. We’ll get to the heart of the story – a story of trust, betrayal and the trappings of wealth and fame,” said producer Albert Chen in a statement.
Lionsgate is developing a TV series on the betting scandal involving Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.
The untitled project is described as “a story of trust, betrayal and the trappings of wealth and fame.” pic.twitter.com/Jb5GtY48lD
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 9, 2024
Sports, gambling, witnessing drama … three of my favorite things, so you better believe I’m ready to go with this one.
The problem: I don’t really see Major League Baseball letting this happen. I mean, seriously, do you think MLB is going to let their BIGGEST superstar be put under a spotlight like this?
Ha! I’ll have my popcorn on standby, but I highly doubt we ever see this become a reality — at least here in modern-day history.