"It's normal to turn it around to some extent" - Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani elucidates motive behind his contributions to Japanese schools

Ever since Shohei Ohtani left the Los Angeles Angels in free agency, the two-time MVP has continued to grab headlines. From massive signings to his former interpreter's recent betting scandal, Ohtani has been in the news almost every day.

However, in between this, Ohtani made a generous donation by gifting 60,000 baseball gloves to 20,000 schools in Japan. In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci, he mentioned the reason for the donation.

“The idea came from signing with New Balance and with the Dodgers. Basically, it’s money coming from the fans," Ohtani said. "So, I wanted to give back in return. It’s not just about the current situation. It’s about the future. About baseball. Well, I think it’s normal to turn it around to some extent.”

Shohei Ohtani's $50 million endorsement deal with New Balance prompted him to return the favor to kids who want to take up baseball. He will continue with such donations and make an impact on the community.

“So, they will be playing baseball in some type of way," Ohtani added. "The basic of baseball is playing catch with the glove to start with. So, I came up with the idea. When I thought about it, I thought it might not make immediate impact, but I think by continuing to do stuff like this down the road it can help out in a big way.”

MLB officially opens an investigation into Shohei Ohtani and former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara

According to league sources, the MLB has officially opened an investigation regarding the betting allegations on Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.

A few days ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers fired the interpreter owing to his involvement with Mathew Bowyer, an Orange County resident who is currently under federal investigation.

According to Mizuhara, Ohtani paid off Mizuhara's debts from gambling. However, not only did he walk back this version of events, Ohtani's attorneys issued a statement saying the Dodgers star was a victim of "massive theft."

Things are blurry at present, but Mizuhara maintains that the two-way star didn't have any idea about his gambling activity.

With the investigation underway, a lot remains to be looked into and the situation will unfold in due course.