After 18 months of shopping the script, the proposed Lionsgate Television series based on the gambling scandal involving Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is in development at Starz.

The project will spotlight the audacious theft by Ippei Mizuhara of $16 million from Ohtani to pay off staggering gambling debts. Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers after the crimes came to light in March 2024. A year later, he was convicted of defrauding Ohtani in federal court and sentenced to 57 months in prison.

Read more:What to know about the Shohei Ohtani interpreter gambling scandal

The series will be produced by Tony Award winner Scott Delman, known for “The Book of Mormon” and “A Raisin in the Sun,” and sports journalist Albert Chen. Alex Convery, who wrote "Air," is on board as showrunner and screenwriter while Justin Lin (the  “Fast and Furious” franchise) will direct, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

“This is Major League Baseball’s biggest sports gambling scandal since Pete Rose — and at its center is its biggest star, one that MLB has hitched its wagon on,” Chen said in a statement to The Times. “We’ll get to the heart of the story — a story of trust, betrayal and the trappings of wealth and fame.”

Lionsgate was having trouble selling the project to companies with media rights agreements with Major League Baseball — Disney, Warner Bros., Discovery, Apple, Netflix and Comcast — because the companies didn't want to jeopardize their relationships with the league, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Lionsgate is the former parent company of Starz, but the two formally separated in May.

The story unquestionably is compelling. Mizuhara befriended Ohtani in Japan when the player who would become the most accomplished hitting and pitching combination in baseball history was an 18-year-old rookie with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Ohtani came to the United States in 2018 at age 23, signing with the Angels. Mizuhara soon became his most trusted friend and interpreter, serving as an intermediary between Ohtani and nearly everyone who spoke English, including the media, his agent and Angels officials.

Read more:How athletes and entertainers like Shohei Ohtani get financially duped by those they trust

Mizuhara arranged wire transfers from Ohtani’s bank account without the player's knowledge or permission and impersonated him during more than two dozen phone calls with bank employees, all to feed a gambling habit that accumulated $40 million in losses across thousands of bets.

Mizuhara allegedly collected $142 million in winnings but lost about $183 million.

Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700-million contract with the Dodgers in December 2023 and the scandal came to light three months later. Ohtani was absolved of wrongdoing and described as a victim by federal authorities.

“Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has told lies,” Ohtani said through his new interpreter, Will Ireton, shortly after Mizuhara was arrested. “I never agreed to pay off the debt or make payments to the bookmaker.

“I’m just beyond shocked. It’s really hard to verbalize how I am feeling at this point.”

Ohtani quickly put the episode behind him, leading the Dodgers to World Series championships in 2024 and 2025. He was named National League Most Valuable Player both years.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Phils lose McGarry, select McCambley in Rule 5 Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

On the final day of the Winter Meetings, the Rule 5 Draft wrapped up in Orlando.

As expected, the Phillies lost Griff McGarry — who they chose not to add to the 40-man roster on Nov. 18 — to the Nationals. Washington took the 26-year-old right-hander with the third pick in the Major League phase.

McGarry, a fifth-round pick out of the University of Virginia in 2021, is coming off one of his best pro seasons. He posted a 3.44 ERA across 21 starts, primarily at Double-A, and struck out 124 batters in 83 2/3 innings. According to MLB.com, his 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings ranked fourth in the Minors.

The Phillies were also active. With the 12th pick in the Major League phase, they selected another 26-year-old righty, Adam McCambley.

The New Jersey native spent five seasons in the Marlins’ system, bouncing between the rotation and bullpen. In his first two years as a starter, the 2020 third-rounder logged a 4.99 ERA over 39 starts. Since shifting primarily to relief, he’s posted a 3.23 ERA over 94 appearances across the past three seasons.

Like McGarry, McCambley is coming off a career year. He recorded a 2.90 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, racking up 83 strikeouts over 62 innings. After walking 18 batters in 22 2/3 frames in 2024, he cut his walk rate by more than half to 3.2 walks per nine this past season.

His fastball sits 92–94 mph, and he generates heavy spin and movement on his slider, curveball and cutter, each eclipsing 3,000 rpm.

McCambley is now on the Phillies’ 40-man roster, as the 34th member.

In the Minor League phase, the Phillies added a pair of prospects. With the 24th selection, they took outfielder Austin Murr from the Tigers’ system. With the 42nd pick, they grabbed right-hander Evan Gates from the Giants.

Murr is coming off a strong year. In 72 games at High-A West Michigan, the 26-year-old slashed .280/.386/.451 with 26 extra-base hits and 43 RBIs. Power hasn’t been his calling card, but the former sixth-round pick has shown consistent plate discipline over five pro seasons, carrying a 192-to-275 walk-to-strikeout ratio.

Gates, 27, has worked exclusively out of the bullpen for San Francisco. Over 260 2/3 innings in five seasons, he owns a 3.52 ERA with 307 strikeouts and 113 walks.

The lone Phillie lost in the Minor League phase was catcher Carson Taylor, who went to Seattle. The Phillies originally selected Taylor two winters ago in the Rule 5 Draft from the Dodgers. He hit 16 homers in his first season with the organization in 2024 before a right labrum tear ended his 2025 campaign.

One notable name who will be staying put is 6-foot-4 outfielder Felix Reyes. The 24-year-old returns after winning the Eastern League batting title, hitting .335 in 95 games for Double-A Reading.

What's next after whiffing on Alonso? Red Sox must get creative originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox entered the offseason in need of at least one middle-of-the-order bat. Nothing they’ve done so far this winter suggests they’re serious about addressing that void.

On Tuesday, they watched old friend Kyle Schwarber return to the Philadelphia Phillies on a five-year, $150 million contract. While Schwarber always seemed like a long shot to return to Boston, it was alarming to see the Red Sox weren’t mentioned with the Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds as clubs to make competitive offers to the National League MVP runner-up.

The real gut punch came Wednesday. Not only did the Red Sox miss out on slugging first baseman Pete Alonso, but they will also have to see him in the American League East for the foreseeable future. The biggest bat on the market joined the Orioles on a five-year, $155 million deal, and the Red Sox’ offer reportedly wasn’t in the same stratosphere.

Boston whiffed on Alonso two days after chief baseball officer Craig Breslow made this remark at the MLB Winter Meetings:

“I think that the true middle-of-the-order bat that can hit the ball out of the park, has probably an outsized impact on the rest of the lineup because of the way you have to attack someone — the on-base implications it can have,” he said. “And so, again, we’re going to consider all ways of improving the team, but finding someone in the middle of the order and who hits the ball out of the park is a really good place to start.”

Alonso was widely considered the perfect fit for Boston. The five-time All-Star has been one of the premier power hitters in baseball for the last seven years. His right-handed pop would have paired perfectly with Fenway Park, especially in a Red Sox lineup loaded with left-handed bats.

So, now what?

Turning to the trade market

With Schwarber and Alonso off the board, Boston must get creative to add legitimate power to the lineup. Re-signing Alex Bregman alone won’t cut it, and with an underwhelming free-agent class, Breslow and Co. will likely have to explore the trade market to add anyone worth getting excited about.

One intriguing possibility is Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte. The three-time All-Star has recently been linked to the Red Sox in trade rumors, though it will take a significant haul to land him. Arizona is reportedly looking for young, big-league-ready starting pitching in return. Marte signed a six-year, $116.5 million extension with the D’backs last April.

Another name that moves the needle? Corey Seager. Boston has had talks with the Texas Rangers about a potential deal for the five-time All-Star shortstop, according to The Boston Globe. Acquiring Seager seems less likely than Marte, given that the two-time World Series MVP is owed $31 million in each of the next six seasons. Plus, Seager has almost exclusively played shortstop throughout his 11-year career, so either Trevor Story would have to move to second base, or Seager would have to adjust to second or third.

Houston Astros infielder Isaac Paredes and St. Louis Cardinals utility man Brendan Donovan are also on the Red Sox’ reported list of trade targets. While both would be solid additions, neither would be enough to say Boston made the necessary upgrades to its lackluster offense.

Free-agent alternatives

There’s still a chance for Breslow to add power via free agency. Shortstop Bo Bichette and third baseman/DH Eugenio Suarez are the two most appealing options, though both come with caveats.

Bichette is largely considered an alternative to Bregman; otherwise, he’d have to move to second base. Suarez will turn 35 in July and is a defensive liability at third base, though he could move to first or serve as the Red Sox’ designated hitter.

In conclusion

Boston can still salvage what already feels like a disappointing offseason. The most likely path involves parting ways with promising young pitchers, such as left-handers Connelly Early or Payton Tolle, when all principal owner John Henry really had to do was open his wallet.

Boston’s unwillingness to offer competitive deals for Schwarber or Alonso proves that returning to the postseason wasn’t enough to convince Red Sox brass to act like a big-market organization. That’s a discouraging sign for the team’s 2026 chances, and it should infuriate fans who bought back in on the club during the 2025 campaign.

With Kyle Schwarber coming off the board on Tuesday when he signed a five-year deal to stay with the Philadelphia Phillies, the industry expectation became that the position player market would start to move. 

Former Houston Astro and Chicago Cub Kyle Tucker is the biggest name still the open market, and both New York teams have reportedly checked in on the outfielder. 

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Mets, Yankees and “most all big-market” teams have checked in on Tucker, as have the Baltimore Orioles. 

Tucker, 28, was an All-Star for the Cubs in 2025 (his fourth straight All-Star selection), posting a 143 OPS+ with 22 home runs, 73 RBI, and 25 stolen bases. He has a career OPS of .865 and would provide an elite, left-handed bat to whichever teams he signs with. 

From a Mets perspective, Tucker would have provided some needed thump in the lineup, but they’d likely need to do some outfield shuffling, as Tucker has almost exclusively been a right fielder in his career (639 games in right, 72 games in left). The Mets would likely move Juan Soto to left field if they were to sign Tucker. 

The Yankees have a similar situation in the outfield. Trent Grisham is likely locked in to center field, meaning Aaron Judge would stick in right. Tucker would likely need to play left field for the Bombers, as moving Judge to left doesn’t seem to be on the table. 

Yankees GM Brian Cashman has said that the team would "love" to bring back outfielder Cody Bellinger, who has proven he can perform in the Bronx and is a more natural fit in left field (plus has the versatility to play first base). But Tucker would certainly be an enticing option as well. 

Athletics reportedly trade Rule 5 draft pick Ryan Watson to Red Sox originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Athletics reportedly are acquiring another infield prospect, this time from the Boston Red Sox.

Justin Riemer will be joining the A’s organization in exchange for right-handed pitcher Ryan Watson, per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo.  

Watson was selected sixth overall by the A’s on Wednesday in the MLB Rule 5 Draft from the San Francisco Giants.  

Riemer, 23, was selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2023 draft. He played in 76 games with Boston’s High-A affiliate and six for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. 

He plays multiple positions, but profiles long-term as a second baseman according to Cotillo. 

The A’s acquired three other right-handed pitchers in the Rule 5 draft: Abel Mercedes, Darlin Pinales and Jorge Marcheco. 

The A’s, however, lost two catchers to the draft: 2022 first-round pick Daniel Susac and Abrahan Gutierrez. 

Susac, a Roseville native, was selected fourth overall by the Minnesota Twins and subsequently traded to the Giants.  

General manager David Forst thinks highly of Susac, but with catchers Shea Langeliers and Austin Wynns with firmly cemented roles on the major league team, the A’s left their former first-round pick unprotected for the Rule 5 draft. 

“The catch-and-throw skills have gotten a lot better,” Forst said. “He may be challenged offensively. Vegas has a way of helping some guys’ numbers, but that’s the case with anybody in this situation. The bat will determine probably if he’s able to stick or not.  

“He has a chance to be in a good situation and they can get him good matchups and that’s when it does work out for guys, is when they have a specific role and fill it.” 

There was universal shock on Tuesday after news broke that Edwin Diaz was leaving the Mets to sign a three-year deal with the Dodgers.

And that shock was not only felt by blindsided Mets fans, but by those in the industry who didn't see this coming and spent all afternoon trying to make sense of it in print and on video.

It was one thing that the Mets had lost Diaz, which was always a possibility, even though it felt remote. That they lost him on a three-year deal was bewildering. That they lost him on a three-year deal to the team they'll have to go through if they want to win a World Series was almost impossible to believe.

But here we are.

As far as what happened at the end of the process between the Mets and Diaz, that doesn't really matter. What matters is that they lost a negotiation for a player they wanted and needed, and also happened to be beloved by the fans.

With there being no indication that Diaz did not want to be a Met -- as alluring as the Dodgers are -- him leaving was truly puzzling.

The Mets needed to get it done, and didn't.

The loss of Diaz understandably dismayed and disoriented a fan base that was already reeling from the slow collapse that was the 2025 season -- one that resulted in an apology from owner Steve Cohen and candid self-reflection from president of baseball operations David Stearns. 

With the backdrop of Diaz leaving amid a so-far-underwhelming offseason, I thought back to this quote that Stearns gave on Sept. 29 in his end-of-season news conference:

"I think on a number of levels there are areas where we can probably be a little more proactive," he said. "And I can be a little more proactive. I think some of these lessons we're still investigating and still fully understanding various aspects of our team. But there are clearly times in the season, times over the offseason, where I can be a little bit more proactive."

You can say the Mets were proactive earlier this offseason while signing Devin Williams to give themselves cover in the event Diaz left. Aside from that? Not so much.

The Mets were unable to close the deal with Diaz.

There are reports that they are hesitant to extend beyond three years for Pete Alonso.

They are reportedly not inclined to offer what it takes to land any of the top free agent pitchers on the market.

As far as trades -- and this could very well change in the coming days -- they have yet to display the willingness to deal what it takes to land a difference-maker.

When it comes to Diaz, you can throw fan sentiment out the window regarding how the Mets were calculating this. That's because doing what it took to bring him back should've been an obvious baseball move. His return thrilling the fans would've been a bonus.

With Diaz gone, the attention now turns to Alonso.

And it can be argued that Alonso is an even more obvious baseball decision than Diaz should've been.

That's because, in the case of Diaz, the Mets protected themselves by signing Williams. And they can further bolster the bullpen by signing a late-inning arm like Robert Suarez or Pete Fairbanks, or trading for someone like Trevor Megill.

If Alonso leaves, where are the Mets turning for the power needed to protect Juan Soto?

It won't be Kyle Schwarber, whom the Mets were seriously interested in before he re-signed with the Phillies on Tuesday on a five-year deal.

You can talk about free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger as something of a replacement for Alonso in the lineup, but you won't be taken seriously if you do. That's because he doesn't come close to providing the power that Alonso does. And his offensive production has varied wildly from year to year.

As the Mets weigh how to proceed with Alonso, it's worth noting that In addition to Diaz, the club has also moved on from Brandon Nimmo this offseason. Trading Nimmo was reasonable, given his regression offensively and defensively, and the fact that there were five years remaining on his contract.

Losing Diaz was not understandable, and using the same tactic with Alonso that they used with Diaz is something the Mets can't afford to do.

That's not to say that they should hand Alonso a blank check.

If some team offers him six or seven years, it will be well within New York's right to walk away. But if this comes down to moving off their reported uncomfortability with extending to a fourth year, they should budge. And going to five years for Alonso -- if that's what the market bears -- would not be a crazy thing to do if needed.

You cannot let fan sentiment dictate what you do, but it has to be a factor. And if keeping a player is smart baseball-wise, the Mets should go the extra mile when those players want to stay and are loved by the fans. They should also make an effort to show those players how wanted they are, perhaps at times letting that break through the cold business of negotiations.