Wildfires have destroyed thousands of homes in LA, causing massive destruction, and people are wondering what their lives have become. Amid an estimated loss of around $250 – $275 billion, many of the players from the Los Angeles Dodgers organization have stepped up to help. The most recent name added to the donors is Shohei Ohtani, but instead of appreciation, a portion of fans has turned against the Japanese sensation.

Ohtani announced that he was donating $500,000 to the cause that will go to firefighters, as well as those in shelters, and animals in need. This amount is basically a quarter of his yearly salary. But some fans don’t seem to be bothered about that and have a very different view on this donation which relates to his biggest scandal.

The past year, Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara pled guilty to the charges related to alleged gambling and theft. This left a bad mark on Ohtani’s image as Mizuhara was in huge debt due to his alleged gambling habits, which reportedly led him to steal around $17 million from the Japanese player’s bank accounts.

Even after all the losses Ohtani apparently incurred during this process, plus hos delayed Dodgers deal, he has come forward and helped the victims of the LA wildfire. This donation has had a mass reaction from the fans who remain divided on the topic.

Shohei Ohtani’s philanthropic efforts don’t go over well with fans

The huge donation by Shohei Ohtani has stirred up mixed reactions. Some people are in his support, while others condemn him. Most of the criticism is because of his relationship with Mizuhara. Many fans believe the player was the victim and was used by Mizuhara; whereas others believe it’s Ohtani who was gambling.

Some fans have not been subtle in showing their emotions and have made their stand known to the baseball world. One MLB fan wrote on X, “That’s awesome, only $16.5 Million less then he donated to that illegal bookie…”. This took a direct shot at Ohtani and his involvement in the news that came out regarding his interpreter allegedly being involved in gambling.

Whereas the matter was closed when Mizuhara pleaded guilty to using his access to Ohtani’s bank account, some believed it was a cover-up from the player’s side to put everything on his interpreter. And the belief clearly still holds.

Another one wrote, “He’s using his gambling winnings to donate.” They took a dig at Ohtani saying that he had donated the money made from his gambling, not his earnings. One mocked, “Would’ve been more if he stayed away from the casinos this off-season”

According to reports, Mizuhara had placed around 19,000 bets in just two years. It was also said that he had placed around two dozen bets every day. The prosecutors reported that he had wired more than $17 million from Ohtani’s checking account to illegal sports bookers. Further Ohtani himself said that these transactions were not authorized by him and he had no clue about it.  When looked into Mizuhara’s phone records, it showed that the frequency of bets and the bet amount rapidly increased.

And yet, fans couldn’t help but post salty comments, “Nah, the tables are calling at the casino 🎰 Only makes 2 million dollars a year. So, you are saying a gambling addict is going to donate 25% of his yearly income? Highly doubtful.”

Ohtani had expressed his dismay that someone so close to him had done such a thing, asserting in a statement that he himself had never bet on baseball matches or any other sporting events. Ohtani agreed to fully cooperate with the investigators, having no knowledge of these things.

Another fan came out to say, “bro just donated a quarter of his yearly salary.” According to the deal he made with the Dodgers, most of Ohtani’s salary is deferred till his last year in the organization, which means he has donated 25% of what he’s getting in a year currently. Nevertheless, Shohei Ohtani may be a star player player but his down-to-earth personality has won some fans over. People will debate Shohei Ohtani’s nature forever. Right now, he is one of the star players who have come forward to help the LA wildfire victims and that seems to be the most important thing.