Shohei Ohtani has one less distraction to worry about in the MLB Playoffs

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hasn't pitched an inning this season, yet is still on pace to win the NL MVP thanks to a 50-50 season. Ohtani's emergence as a baserunner is a new fad, and despite undergoing elbow surgery, he's been just as explosive at the plate. Ohtani is hands-down the best player in baseball, but he has yet to appear in the MLB Playoffs. That will all change this October.

However, Ohtani's first season with the Dodgers wasn't always a surefire success. There were some bumps in the road, most notably with former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. Ippei made bets through an illegal bookie with Ohtani's money, which initially had investigators and sports fans alike concerned that Shohei might be betting on baseball.

However, it turns out Mizuhara didn't ask Ohtani to pay his gambling debts. Rather, Ippei stole the money since he had access to Shohei's bank account. As foreign of a concept as that may sound to most of us, it's common practice for Japanese players to give interpreters this information, as something as simple as a conversation with a bank teller is intimidating to a baseball star who doesn't speak a lick of English.

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Shohei Ohtani avoids a major postseason distraction with Dodgers

Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud this summer, while the sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 25. The problem with that, of course, is that it's right in the middle of a potential Dodgers World Series chase. Thankfully for Ohtani, Mizuhara's sentencing has been moved to later this winter.

Ohtani released a statement upon Mizuhara's admission of guilt, thanking the authorities for their help in the process.

"This has been a uniquely challenging time for me," Ohtani's statement continued, "so I am especially grateful for my support team -- my family, agent, agency, lawyers and advisors along with the entire Dodgers organization, who showed endless support throughout this process. It's time to close this chapter, move on and continue to focus on playing and winning ballgames."

An MLB investigation, which was previously launched to look into Ohtani's involvement in the case, was quickly closed shortly thereafter. By all accounts, Shohei was taken aback by Mizuhara's actions and the betrayal of someone he considered to be his closest friend. His ignorance of Mizuhara's illegal activity is unfortunate, and hopefully something he can learn from.