David Fletcher, a former infielder for the Los Angeles Angels who currently plays for the Atlanta Braves‘ Triple-A affiliate, and a friend of his who also played in the minor leagues, bet on sports with the sportsbook from Southern California who took bets from Shohei Ohtani. longtime performer, according to multiple sources detailing activities.
Fletcher, who was Ohtani’s teammate from 2018 to 2023 and has been described as one of his closest friends in baseball, placed bets at Mathew Bowyer’s betting operation, according to sources. Ohtani’s former performer, Ippei Mizuhara, also gambled with Bowyer and ultimately stole nearly $17 million from the Japanese superstar to feed his addiction, according to prosecutors.
Fletcher’s close friend Colby Schultz, who played in the Kansas City Royals system from 2018 to 2020, placed bets on baseball, including on Angels games Fletcher played in while he was with the team, multiple sources told ESPN.
Fletcher bet on several sports but not baseball, according to multiple sources.
Featured
2 Related
MLB players and employees can bet on sports other than baseball, but not at illegal sportsbooks like Bowyer. League rules state that players who bet at illegal betting houses are subject to punishment at the discretion of the commissioner. A player who bets on baseball games in which he did not participate will be suspended for one year. Any player who bets on their own games will be permanently banned.
MLB declined to comment, but a league source told ESPN that Fletcher had not previously been investigated but is now expected to be.
Fletcher did not respond to multiple requests for comment. He started at second base for Gwinnett in their game against the Memphis Redbirds on Friday night, batting second. Schultz could not be located.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California declined to comment, as did the Braves.
Fletcher signed a five-year, $26 million extension with the Angels in 2021 that includes two option years in 2026 and 2027 worth $8 million and $8.5 million, respectively. The team traded him to the Braves in December.
While with the Angels, he was often described as Ohtani’s closest friend on the team.
“We’re good friends,” Fletcher told ESPN on March 18 when asked about his relationship with Ohtani. “We talked on the bus and at the hotel.”
Multiple sources described Schultz as one of Fletcher’s best friends. The two men, both 29 years old, grew up in Orange County, California. Fletcher often appears in Schultz’s Instagram posts.
In the federal complaint against Mizuhara, authorities say Bowyer sent Mizuhara’s electronic information to an associate known as “Bookmaker 3.” Sources told ESPN that Schultz is the No. 3 bookmaker.
In the March interview, Fletcher told ESPN that he was present at the 2021 poker game in San Diego where Mizuhara met Bowyer. Fletcher said he did not introduce the performer to the bookie, but that Bowyer gained access to the poker game at the team hotel through an acquaintance of Fletcher’s.
Fletcher also told ESPN in March that he had met Bowyer once while playing golf and that he knew Bowyer was a bookie at the time of the poker game. He said he never made a bet with Bowyer’s organization.
ESPN’s Paula Lavigne and TJ Quinn contributed to this report.
Keynote USA
For the Latest Sports News, Follow @Keynote USA Sports on Twitter.