David Fletcher, a former Los Angeles Angels infielder at the moment taking part in for the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A affiliate, and a buddy of his, who additionally performed within the minor leagues, each guess on sports activities with the Southern California bookmaker who took wagers from Shohei Ohtani’s longtime interpreter, in accordance with a number of sources detailing the actions.
Fletcher, who was Ohtani’s teammate from 2018 to 2023 and has been described as one in every of his closest pals in baseball, positioned bets with the bookmaking operation of Mathew Bowyer, sources mentioned. Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, additionally guess with Bowyer and finally stole almost $17 million from the Japanese celebrity to feed his habit, in accordance with prosecutors.
Fletcher’s shut buddy, Colby Schultz, who performed within the Kansas Metropolis Royals’ system from 2018 to 2020, positioned bets on baseball, together with on Angels video games that Fletcher performed in whereas he was on the crew, sources informed ESPN.
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Fletcher guess on a number of sports activities however not baseball, sources mentioned.
MLB gamers and staff are allowed to guess on sports activities apart from baseball — however not with unlawful bookmakers reminiscent of Bowyer. The league rulebook states that gamers betting with unlawful bookmakers are topic to punishment on the commissioner’s discretion. A participant who bets on baseball video games through which he didn’t take part will probably be banned for one yr. Any participant who bets on his personal video games will probably be banned completely.
MLB declined to remark, however a league supply informed ESPN that Fletcher had not beforehand been investigated however is now anticipated to be.
Fletcher didn’t reply to a number of requests for remark. He began at second base for Gwinnett in its sport towards the Memphis Redbirds on Friday night time, batting second. Schultz couldn’t be reached.
The U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the Central District of California declined to remark, as did the Braves.
Fletcher signed a five-year, $26 million extension with the Angels in 2021 that features two choice years in 2026 and 2027 value $8 million and $8.5 million, respectively. The crew traded him to the Braves in December.
Whereas with the Angels, he was typically described as Ohtani’s closest buddy on the crew.
“We’re good pals,” Fletcher informed ESPN on March 18 when requested about his relationship with Ohtani. “We might discuss on the bus and on the lodge.”
Sources described Schultz as one in every of Fletcher’s finest pals. The 2 males, who’re each 29, grew up in Orange County, California. Fletcher typically seems in Schultz’s Instagram posts.
Within the federal grievance towards Mizuhara, authorities say Bowyer despatched Mizuhara’s wire data to an affiliate often called “Bookmaker 3.” The sources informed ESPN that Schultz is Bookmaker 3.
Within the March interview, Fletcher informed ESPN that he was current on the 2021 poker sport in San Diego the place Mizuhara first met Bowyer. Fletcher mentioned he didn’t introduce the interpreter to the bookie however that Bowyer gained entry to the poker sport on the crew lodge by an acquaintance of Fletcher.
Fletcher additionally informed ESPN in March that he had met Bowyer as soon as earlier than whereas taking part in golf and that he knew Bowyer was a bookmaker on the time of the poker sport. He mentioned he by no means positioned a guess himself with Bowyer’s group.
ESPN’s Paula Lavigne and T.J. Quinn contributed to this report.