As the former interpreter of Shohei Ohtani awaits the next steps in a highly publicized gambling case, another figure entered the fray over the weekend.

Major League Baseball is expected to investigate sports betting allegations against infielder David Fletcher, the Associated Press reported Sunday. The report was issued two days after allegations surfaced that Fletcher placed bets with the same illegal book used by Ippei Mizuhara, according to ESPN. Mizuhara, Ohtani’s ex-interpreter, is facing federal charges in connection with embezzling approximately $17 million from the MLB star. ESPN later reported Monday that MLB has opened the investigation.

Fletcher, a second baseman with the Memphis Redbirds, the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A affiliate, is close friends with Ohtani. The two spent five seasons together with the Los Angeles Angels before Fletcher was traded to the Braves in December. When reached by the Associated Press, an MLB spokesperson declined to comment.

Last week, Mizuhara pleaded not guilty to federal bank fraud and tax charges in California district court. The move is widely viewed as a procedural one considering Mizuhara has agreed to a plea deal with federal prosecutors. Mizuhara, the disgraced former Dodgers’ employee, is facing a combined 33 years in prison on the charges.

Mizuhara allegedly placed millions in wagers with an illegal sports betting ring operated by Matthew Bowyer. A reputed whale player in Las Vegas, Bowyer has been in charge of one of the largest betting-bookmaking operations in the nation, a source told Sports Handle. While Fletcher reportedly placed wagers with Bowyer, it doesn’t appear he bet on baseball, according to ESPN.

On Friday, another figure surfaced in the case. Colby Schultz, a former infielder in the Royals’ farm system, placed wagers on the Angels, according to ESPN. The two infielders, who both grew up in Southern California, are close friends, ESPN reported. Schultz last played in the minors in October 2020, when he was released by the Wilmington Blue Rocks, then a Class-A team within the Royals’ organization.

According to a federal complaint, Mizuhara began betting with a ring operated by “Bookmaker 1” — an individual ESPN identified as Bowyer. In March 2022, Mizuhara sent a message to Bookmaker 1, asking the individual to provide him with a “bump.” Based on his training and experience, a special agent with IRS Criminal Investigations wrote in the complaint that a “bump” in gambling parlance is typically slang for increasing the credit limit of a gambler. In many cases, a gambler will request a bump when his or her debt brushes up against a credit limit.

a. In or about May 2022, BOOKMAKER 1 communicated with an associate saved in BOOKMAKER 1’s phone as “[Name] Indian Book.” Based on my training, experience, and the context of the saved contact information, I believe this individual to be involved in bookmaking (“BOOKMAKER 3”).

b. On or about May 18, 2022, BOOKMAKER 3 asked BOOKMAKER 1, “Send me wire info please.” Later that day,
BOOKMAKER 1 responded with a screenshot of wire information for an account ending in x9877 and a message stating “Name of account is Ippei Mizuhara.”

–Written testimony of IRS agent, Mizuhara complaint, April 11, 2024

By that May, the individual identified as Bookmaker 1 discussed an account that belonged to Mizuhara with an associate, according to court filings. Through his comprehensive investigation, the IRS agent stated in the complaint that he believes the associate is an individual described as “Bookmaker 3”. Citing sources, ESPN reported on Friday that Bookmaker 3 is Schultz.

Before signing a record $700 million deal with the Dodgers, Ohtani spent his first six MLB seasons with the Angels. There, he befriended Fletcher, whom the Angeles selected in the sixth round of the 2015 MLB Draft. Four years later, Ohtani and Fletcher attended an Anaheim Ducks’ game together on Angels Night at the arena.

Prior to Opening Day in 2021, Fletcher signed a five-year, $26 million deal with the Angels. Fletcher later completed a 26-game hitting streak that season. In the midst of the streak, former Angels manager Joe Maddon compared Fletcher to Joe Namath for his innate confidence in himself at the plate. Namath famously predicted the Jets would upset the heavily favored Colts in Super Bowl III.

“I think there’s Joe Namath and there’s David Fletcher,” Maddon told MLB.com. “Two tremendous lore-like heroes. He has that thing. There’s nothing on that baseball field that he doesn’t think he can do. The lore of David Fletcher is beginning and I can only compare to Joe Cool.”

Earlier this season, the Braves optioned Fletcher to Triple-A Memphis after only five games. Under MLB rules, a player who bets on his own games, can face a lifetime ban. Fletcher has been on the radar in the sweeping investigation of California illegal sports betting since January, a confidential source told Sports Handle.

MLB players also face a one-year suspension for betting on games featuring other MLB teams. For players accused of wagering with an illegal bookmaker, the commissioner has wide latitude on the applicable punishment.