MLB analyst Ben Verlander took sides with Shohei Ohtani and his agent Nez Balelo, who were named the defendants in a lawsuit filed in the Hawaii Circuit Court by developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto. Ohtani and his agent are accused of sabotaging a luxurious real estate project worth $240 million. The suit alleges tortious interference and unjust enrichment tied to a luxury housing development on Hawaii’s Big Island, called The Vista, at Mauna Kea Resort. The plaintiffs claim that Ohtani was brought to the project for endorsement, but his agent, Balelo, pressured Kingsbarn Realty Capital, the development’s broader partner, to remove them from the deal."Balelo and Otani, who were brought into the venture solely for Otani's promotional and branding value, exploited their celebrity leverage to destabilize and ultimately dismantle Plaintiffs' role in the project — for no reason other than their own financial self-interest," the lawsuit claims.On Thursday, Verlander said that it's a simple case of an employee getting fired because of not doing a good job. He referenced public quotes of Kingsbarn Realty Capital to reach a conclusion:"No. Shohei Ohtani didn’t do anything wrong. Yes, the company that fired the employees that are suing Shohei and his agent said it’s all ridiculous accusations," Verlander said.Shohei Ohtani not willing to discuss the matterAmid the lawsuit that cost plaintiffs millions in potential commissions and profits, Shohei Ohtani has refrained from speaking anything regarding the lawsuit, asking reporters to keep the focus on baseball.“I’m focused on what the team is doing and doing everything in my power to make sure we bring a W on the field," Ohtani said through his interpreter Will Ireton.Even though Ohtani has had no direct involvement, a legal expert said that he's liable for his agent's actions."They’re not alleging that Ohtani did anything. They’re saying his agent did," attorney Arash Sadat of Mills Sadat Dowlat LLP told The Big Lead. "Generally under the law, when somebody’s your agent, you can be held liable for something he did on your behalf. That’s why Ohtani can be held liable. We don’t know Ohtani’s knowledge or the extent of his involvement."The alleged suit comes in the wake of an earlier off-the-field controversy involving the Dodgers superstar. His former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was convicted and imprisoned for defrauding Ohtani of approximately $17 million to pay off gambling debts.