Challenges Faced by Shohei Ohtani: Obstacles and Turning Points

Resilience and perseverance in the journey of Shohei Ohtani. A timeline of obstacles and growth.

Shohei Ohtani is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, renowned as a two-way player excelling as both a designated hitter and pitcher. Nicknamed "Shotime," he previously played for the Los Angeles Angels and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan. Ohtani's exceptional performance in both hitting and pitching has led to comparisons with Babe Ruth and has established his prime seasons as some of the greatest in baseball history. He is considered a unique and impactful player in modern baseball.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

2016: Ankle Injury in Japan Series

In 2016, Shohei Ohtani suffered an ankle injury during the Japan Series. The injury later impacted his participation in the 2017 World Baseball Classic and restricted his playing time during the 2017 season.

2017: Ohtani withdraws from World Baseball Classic

In 2017, Ohtani was on Team Japan's roster for the World Baseball Classic but withdrew due to an ankle injury.

September 2018: Last Pitching Appearance Before Injury

Shohei Ohtani made his last pitching appearance in September 2018 before an injury sidelined him.

2018: MLB Spring Training Debut

In 2018, Shohei Ohtani's MLB spring training debut was met with disappointment from American news sources due to poor performance. However, by the end of the regular season, the media acknowledged they had underestimated him.

May 7, 2019: First Game After Tommy John Surgery

On May 7, 2019, Shohei Ohtani played his first game with the Angels since undergoing Tommy John surgery, serving as a designated hitter against the Detroit Tigers.

2019: Injury-Plagued Season

In 2019, Shohei Ohtani had an injury-plagued season.

2019: Ohtani's Disappointment with 2019 Season

Shohei Ohtani expressed disappointment with his performance in the 2019 season, though not as much as he would in 2020.

2020: Another Injury Season

In 2020, Shohei Ohtani faced another season impacted by injuries.

2020: COVID-19 Impacted Season

In 2020, the MLB season was delayed until July 24 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 24, Ohtani was the first automatic player on second base in an official MLB game. He returned to pitching on July 26, but experienced arm discomfort, leading to a flexor strain diagnosis and his shutdown from pitching for the remainder of the season.

2020: Ohtani's Frustration with 2020 Season

Shohei Ohtani described feeling frustrated and useless after the 2020 season due to injuries that prevented him from performing as he desired, saying it was "more like pathetic" than his 2019 season.

November 2022: FTX Bankruptcy Filing

In November 2022, FTX filed for bankruptcy, wiping out billions of dollars in customer funds.

April 2023: Dismissal Request from FTX Lawsuit

In April 2023, Shohei Ohtani's lawyers filed for Ohtani's dismissal from the FTX lawsuit, in which he was sued for promoting unregistered securities.

September 2023: Ohtani's elbow surgery

In September 2023, Shohei Ohtani underwent elbow surgery, leading to the announcement with the Dodgers that he would not pitch in the 2024 season.

September 19, 2023: Ohtani Undergoes Elbow Surgery

On September 19, 2023, Shohei Ohtani underwent elbow surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache to address the UCL tear in his right elbow.

March 2024: Gambling Scandal Investigation

In March 2024, an ESPN investigation uncovered $4.5 million in wire payments from Shohei Ohtani's bank account to a Southern California bookmaking operation under federal investigation. It was also found that, between January and March 2024, Ippei Mizuhara purchased approximately $325,000 worth of baseball cards from online resellers such as eBay from Ohtani's bank account with the intent to resell them later for his own personal profit. On March 19, Mizuhara told ESPN that the money was for repaying his gambling debts. He said he had asked Ohtani for the money and that Ohtani himself transferred the funds to the bookie. Mizuhara also told this story to the Dodgers clubhouse after a game that day. However, as ESPN prepared to air the interview on the morning of March 20, Ohtani's law firm issued a statement reading, "We discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft, and we are turning the matter over to the authorities." That afternoon, the Dodgers fired Mizuhara, who had signed a contract with the team when Ohtani joined. Will Ireton, who had served as an interpreter for Kenta Maeda, took over as Ohtani's interpreter. At a March 25 press conference, Ohtani made his first public statement about the incident, telling reporters that he had never bet on sports or had any knowledge of the debt until the team meeting on March 19.

May 9, 2024: Scripted Series Announced

On May 9, 2024, Lionsgate Television announced the development of a scripted series based on the interpreter gambling scandal.

Loading Video...

2024: Ohtani Will Not Pitch in 2024

It was revealed that Ohtani would not pitch for the rest of the 2023 season and the 2024 season after suffering a ulnar collateral ligament tear in his right elbow.

February 2025: Mizuhara Sentencing and Ohtani Cleared

In February 2025, Ippei Mizuhara was sentenced to repay Shohei Ohtani $17 million along with a 57-month prison sentence. Previously, on June 4, 2024, following Mizuhara's guilty plea, Ohtani was officially cleared of any wrongdoing in the affair.