It took a long time but finally, Shohei Ohtani is openly talking about his experiences during the peak of Ippei Mizuhara’s scandal. Apart from his one statement, the two-way phenom had remained silent about the entire ordeal. However, after stepping foot in New York, one expected that he’d be bombarded with questions regarding his former interpreter. That’s exactly what happened, but the Los Angeles Dodgers star was quite candid with his answer.

While the Dodgers are hoping to end their losing streak in their doubleheader against the New York Mets (rain postponed their first game), reporters got a golden chance to question Ohtani. There had already been anger on the East Coast regarding the media allegedly not asking Shotime about Ippei Mizuhara. How did he maintain his level during that tough time? And how did it affect Ohtani’s private life? The 2x MVP answered that via his interpreter, Will Ireton.

Seeing your closest aide steal millions from your account might be a jarring experience. Naturally, it affected the mental and emotional well-being of Ohtani. He revealed the same during his interview. “I think the thing that affected me the most is being able to sleep well,” Shohei Ohtani said via his interpreter. But how did the superstar maintain his on-field level? Per Ohtani, it was because of his high self-belief.

“Now that I’ve been able to do that, I also came to realize that how I feel off the field mentally shouldn’t affect my abilities,” Ohtani continued. “And I have very (high) confidence in my own ability that I would be able to still play without being affected by anything that happens off the field.” 

That’s certainly an important point. Despite all the hardships and negativity, Ohtani maintained his obsession with baseball. So just how high does his professionalism and commitment go? One can guess it from his activities during the heavy rains yesterday.

Even heavy rains can’t stop Shohei Ohtani from playing baseball 

Most players or people, in general, would rejoice at a sudden break because of rains or other reasons. Who doesn’t love breaks from their normal routines, right? Well! We can check Shohei Ohtani off that list. The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was doing his throwing practice while it was pouring all over the facilities. That’s quite a dedication, but more importantly, it also shows how excited Ohtani is to return to pitching.

That video was enough for fans to understand why Ohtani was given a massive $700 million deal. Yes, his massive popularity was also a factor, but none of that would’ve been possible without his unreal dedication. Perhaps it was this dedication that helped Shotime navigate the treacherous path during the entire Ippei Mizuhara ordeal. Whatever the case, Ohtani is firmly out of that cycle right now. Now if only his hamstring troubles end soon.