Fletcher’s Future in Jeopardy as MLB Probes Betting Claims
Major League Baseball has launched an investigation into former Los Angeles Angels infielder David Fletcher following allegations that he gambled with an illegal bookmaker.
If found guilty, Fletcher's penalties could range from a fine to a lifetime ban.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:News broke last Friday that Fletcher, currently playing for the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A affiliate, allegedly wagered on sports with Matthew Boyer, an illegal Southern California bookmaker, who is also accused of accepting bets from Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.
While Fletcher didn’t place bets on baseball, the reports stated that his close friend Colby Schultz, a former minor leaguer, wagered with Bowyer, including bets on baseball games involving Angel games Fletcher participated in while he was on the team.
MLB to Interview Fletcher
According to an MLB source, the league does not currently have evidence to determine if Fletcher violated its betting rules. However, it plans to collaborate with the government to gather more information.
MLB investigators will speak with Fletcher at some point during their investigations. However, he can decline cooperation if he can assert that talking to them could potentially incriminate him in a future criminal inquiry.
Under MLB’s gambling policy, players who wager illegally on sports other than baseball may face a fine rather than a suspension. However, any player found to have bet on baseball games, either directly or indirectly, could face more severe penalties, up to a lifetime ban.
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Ippei Mizuhara’s Betting Controversy
Fletcher’s investigation comes barely two months after MLB initiated a similar probe into a sports betting scandal involving Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers star. This followed the Dodgers firing his ex-interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara after he was found to have stolen over $16 million from Ohtani to pay off his gambling debts.
Mizuhara initially claimed that Ohtani had paid off his debts but later changed his story, admitting that the Japanese baseball pitcher was unaware of the situation. Ohtani had been cleared of any wrongdoing in the case.
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