“If This Had Been LeBron James”: ESPN Analyst Lashes Out At Shohei Ohtani Over Silence On Gambling Controversy

In a surprising turn of events, Shohei Ohtani’s Ippei Mizuhara scandal has gone quiet. While there have been some bizarre takes, the focus has completely shifted to the continued on-field domination by Ohtani. As a result, many are wondering whether Ohtani is getting an easy pass. So while Ohtani’s fans may have moved on, this silence has frustrated a few experts including the top broadcaster and ESPN analyst Michael Kay.

Recently in The Michael Kay Show, the panelists were asked about the complete silence of Ohtani regarding the gambling scandal. Apart from his official statement, the superstar hasn’t been asked anything about the allegations against Mizuhara. Kay and the New York Rangers radio host Don La Greca were visibly frustrated by this situation.

“I think the most unbelievable thing to me – fans don’t care about this. This guy has never had to take questions on this – not once! What other athlete in any professional sport would be allowed to remain mum, not say a word other than the prepared statement?” Kay wondered. To this, La Greca said that perhaps the regionalism of baseball could be responsible for this situation. 

“It’s a regional sport, it was a big deal for a little bit then we kind of settled in…No one cares anymore like if this had been Lebron James, it would be going on and on and on. I mean Ohtani’s a name but let’s be honest…he’s played in the West Coast his entire life, people are focused on their teams,” Greca said.

That didn’t satisfy Kays. He wondered why Ohtani gets special treatment. Later Kays gave an example of the East Coast teams (especially the New York Yankees) regarding accountability.

“A-Rod answered questions” Kay compares Shohei Ohtani to other baseball stars

“It’s amazing to me after every type of tough loss Francisco Lindor talks, Aaron Judge talks, Juan Soto the biggest stars in the world. This guy does not have to answer a question and he’s in the middle of what could be the biggest scandal in baseball history,” Kay said. Later he noted that even Alex Rodriguez answered questions. So did Pete Rose. Kays noted that had Ohtani been in the Yankees the media would have grilled him with questions.

It’s quite clear that the frustration regarding Ohtani’s silence is quite high. However, it’s also true that despite the silence the investigation is still ongoing. More importantly, Ohtani may have said all he had to say in his official statement. Perhaps that’s why even the fans have begun focusing on Ohtani’s performance on the field. After all, that’s the thing they fell in love with.

Read more: $700 Million Worth Shohei Ohtani Labeled ‘The Guy Who Gambles’ By Legendary Podcaster Joe Rogan