"We about to find out he doesn't speak Japanese" - MLB fans in splits as reports emerge questioning Ippei Mizuhara’s educational background

MLB fans took the chance to troll Japanese interpreter Ippei Mizuhara after it emerged in the midst of the gambling scandal that he had possibly lied about his educational background.

Mizuhara became a popular figure among fans as the spokesperson for Shohei Ohtani over the last six years, but he now finds himself in hot water. Allegations of illegal gambling led the Los Angeles Dodgers to fire him.

According to the LA Angels 2023 media guide, Mizuhara had claimed that he graduated from UC Riverside in 2007. But the University of California-Riverside has revealed that there are no records of him going there, leaving fans in stitches.

"We about to find out he doesn’t speak Japanese," tweeted one.

"HOF Con Artist," added another.

Here are some of the top reactions on X:

Ippei Mizuhara was born in Hokkaido, Japan, in December 1984 before his family moved to Los Angeles seven years later with his father, who worked as a chef.

Having grown up in LA, he started working as a translator for Chris Martin by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2013. That's when he developed a friendship with Shohei Ohtani, which resulted in a move to the MLB after the two-way superstar was posted on the market in 2017.

Since then, he has become a popular face in the MLB as the translator and friend of the most valuable player in the world. However, things have gone south for him over the last week.

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What did Boston Red Sox say about Ippei Mizuhara never working for them?

The story behind Ippei Mizuhara and Shohei Ohtani's friendship began with both joining the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2013.

However, the Los Angeles Angels media guide suggests that he worked as an interpreter for the Boston Red Sox from 2007 to 2011.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox released a statement on Friday saying that Mizuhara was never hired by them in any capacity:

"Mizuhara was never employed by the Boston Red Sox in any capacity and was not an interpreter for Hideki Okajima during the pitcher's time with the team."