Amidst uncertainties, Ippei Mizuhara is a constant in Shohei Ohtani’s life. Not only has been with him for the past six years, but also considers the two-way phenom family. Since 2017, the duo has weaved a deep bond, growing beyond the traditional interpreter-player partnership. While the two share an uncompromised bond, is there a foreseeable imminent retirement?

As one talks about Shohei Ohtani’s banger $700 million deal, an inevitable question arises. What happens to Ohtani’s friend once his decade-long agreement ends with the Los Angeles Dodgers? Too soon to answer it? Well, give it a thought, because, “We are together pretty much every day, longer than I’m with my wife, so it’s going to be tough if you don’t get along on a personal level.”

Will Ippei Mizuhara Stick Around Without Ohtani?

By now, it is well established that Shotime’s alleged best friend is the closest individual to Ohtani in this world. The Ippei-Shohei relationship is strong as a storm, not only in the world of baseball but also outside it. Could that mean that Mizuhara bids farewell to MLB in 2034 as the unicorn possibly retires? While concocting the answer it’s worth looking at instances that slowly but steadily spurred this relationship. 

Their brotherhood goes beyond limits. Mizuhara once reportedly assisted the pitcher and hitter by fetching groceries when he was recovering from an injury. Additionally, he was the one to encourage the Oshu-born to maintain communication with teammates during games. His words of advice were a supportive guide to the unicorn. If this wasn’t enough to prove their bond, there’s more.

Ippei-san went above and beyond his professional duties jeopardizing his interpreter role for Ohtani in the 2021 lockdown. Upon learning about the league’s regulation to maintain distancing between professionals and players, he stepped away from his official responsibilities only to remain in continuous contact with the former Los Angeles Angels star.

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Seldom is such a bond seen especially in the vanity of the sports world. That said, they both seem inseparable, which makes one wonder if their MLB relationship has an expiration date. Looking at their journey over the years, it’s hard to predict!

The Genesis of the Ohtani-Mizuhara Friendship 

During the initial period of his career as an interpreter, his help to the Red Sox’s Japanese player, Hideki Okajima, brought Ippei Mizuhara to the attention of Japan’s esteemed NPB League. This was the break he needed as Mizuhara’s services were deemed suitable for their American player, Chris Martin. Interestingly, soon after agreeing to this assignment and returning to Japan, the 38-year-old met a player who significantly changed his career trajectory. 

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This dates back to a decade ago. While with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, the University of California alumnus crossed paths with the young 18-year-old. Ohtani, who was also a teammate of Martin on the team, quickly developed a close relationship with Mizuhara. And the rest is history. As the Japanese hero grows significantly on MLB’s international platform, his friendship shines ever so brightly and will likely remain so wherever Shoehi goes.