URGENT: Baseball: Dodgers star Ohtani denies involvement in illegal gambling

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani said Monday he is not involved in gambling and never made payments to an alleged illegal bookmaker in California.

Ohtani spoke to the media for the first time since illegal gambling and theft allegations against his longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara emerged last week. The two-time American League MVP did not take questions from reporters.

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