As Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter, Did Ippei Mizuhara Ever Play Baseball?

The living-breathing legend, Shohei Ohtani does not train alone! Well, Ippei Mizuhara who is his renowned interpreter also has a ton of jobs listed on his resume. It could possibly imply that he trains with the two-way phenom too. After all, Mizuhara served as Ohtani’s catcher. Given that “speaking is only about 10 percent of the job,” does he play baseball too? 

Being an interpreter is no cup of cake. It turns out that apart from speaking just two languages, the “most important thing is to be the bridge, a mentor and a friend for them(players)”. Though sometimes the pressure off the field is more than the pressure on the field, the 38-year-old friend has done justice to his role with Ohtani. But the real question is, how did he end up in MLB if he never played? 

What Pushed Ippe Mizuhara to Enter Baseball?

As one gets a peek into the extremely private lives of the Japanese star, now a Dodger, the story of Ippe Mizuhara surfaces. As his job description includes the phrase “crucial role” his presence goes beyond just translating. The Tomakomai-born also helps throw to Ohtani in side sessions. He watches tapes of opposing pitchers in addition to studying scouting reports.

Some more tidbits about his association with Baseball go back to when he served as Ohtani’s catcher in the 2021 Home Run Derby. Furthermore, having joined Samurai Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he witnessed Japan win with ‘yakyu shonen’ on the mound. But did he play though? 

To answer that, one must flash back. Despite moving to Los Angeles in 1991 and growing up in close proximity to the Anaheim’s Angel Stadium, he never really followed the game. Until one day in 1995 when Hideo Nomo joined the Los Angeles Dodgers. What caught his eye was that Nomo became the first player from Japan to be in an MLB game since Masanori Murakami over 3 decades ago. 

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“I was right in the middle of Nomo Fever. Ever since then, I just watched a lot of MLB”, Sports Illustrated reported Mizuhara’s words. While he was not an ardent Angels fans despite living 15 minutes away from the ballpark, he finds it fascinating how fate wove him and the Angels together. This would later go on to become the MLB debut team of the ‘Unicorn’ for whom Mizuhara has been interpreting since. 

The Bond that Shohei Ohtani and his Interpreter Share Goes Beyond the Field

So no, Ippei did not actively play professional baseball, however he played multiple monumental supporting roles. He even went to unimaginable lengths. Reportedly, he once picked up the pitcher and hitter’s groceries while he recovered from injuries in 2019 and 2020. It was he who pushed Ohtani to better connect with Angels teammates in order to build a bond. 

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Well, given that “I’m with him all offseason, too. I’m with him 365 days of the year, which I think is different than the other interpreters“, it becomes inevitable to have a great friendship. Interestingly enough, Shotime is not the only reason he continues to be associated with baseball. His love and respect for the game has sprouted in him becoming a celebrated entity on the international platform of MLB.