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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Dodger superstar Shohei Ohtani will reportedly be honored at Friday's L.A. City Council meeting -- though multiple officials around City Hall offered nothing but quick and guarded "no comment" replies when asked to confirm the slugger's appearance.
KNX News, quoting "Dodgers insiders," reported Thursday that Ohtani will be honored during an in-person visit at the start of Friday's 10 a.m. council meeting. Details about why Ohtani would be celebrated were not divulged.
City News Service reached out Thursday to the offices of Council President Paul Krekorian and council members Curren Price, Kevin de León, Eunisses Hernandez and John Lee. A representative from each office declined to comment on whether Ohtani would be honored Friday. A Dodger spokesman also declined comment.
An appearance by Ohtani would likely attract a large contingent of Dodger fans to City Hall, not to mention domestic and Japanese media that frequently flock around the slugger.
Ohtani signed a $700 million contract with the Dodgers during the offseason after six years with the Angels. But since the season began, his on- field performance has been somewhat overshadowed by the firing and subsequent criminal charges against the slugger's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.
Mizuhara is accused of stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani's bank account to pay off illegal gambling debts and personal expenses such as dental work and purchases of baseball cards. The former interpreter is expected to plead guilty next month to bank fraud and filing a false tax return, charges that could lead to more than 30 years in prison, although it was unclear exactly how long of a sentence he will receive.
Ohtani also made news in the offseason relating to his personal life, confirming on social media his marriage to Mamiko Tanaka, a former Japanese professional basketball player.