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As the Los Angeles Dodgers try to navigate ashy waters toward the final parts of the season, their superstar Shohei Ohtani is the subject of a $240 million lawsuit over allegations that he and his agent sabotaged a Hawaii luxury housing project for personal gain. MLB analyst and Ohtani superfan Ben Verlander responded with dimissive remarks, prompting scrutiny of his impartiality.
A lawsuit for Ohtani
The lawsuit filed in Hawaii's Circuit Court, accuses Ohtani and his agent Nez Balelo of tortious interference and unjust enrichment in a high-end development called The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort.
Developers Kevin Hayes and broker Tomoko Matsumoto say they were unjustly removed from the project, valued at $240 million, after Ohtani's camp leveraged his celebrity endorsement to pressure away the plaintiffs.
Analyst loyalty or poor judgement?
Ben Verlander, known for his fervent support of Ohtani, brushed off the lawsuit in a now-deleted tweet:
Let's all remember to not just get mad because you see his name attached to something. If his name wasn't Shohei Ohtani we wouldn't even know about this
He added, "Never seen so many people care about CIVIL lawsuits regarding real estate". Critics argue his response minimizes the gravity of a staggering legal claim and undermines his credibility as an analyst.