S
hohei Ohtani's name is back in the headlines, this time for reasons unrelated to baseball. The Dodgers' two-way star and reigning National League MVP is being sued by a real estate investor and broker in Hawaii, along with his agent Nez Balelo of Creative Artists Agency. The lawsuit claims that Ohtani and Balelo had the plaintiffs fired from a $240 million luxury housing development that Ohtani was contracted to endorse.

    The case involves contract law, tortious interference, and alleged disputes between Balelo and the plaintiffs over two years. However, as it pertains to Ohtani's current season with the Dodgers, only one question matters: Will this situation create a distraction for him off the field? When asked about it, Ohtani shut down the idea, saying he wants to focus on the field.

    According to the lawsuit, Hayes and Matsumoto reached an endorsement deal with Ohtani in 2023 for their luxury housing development. However, Balelo allegedly demanded concessions from them over the last two years, becoming a "disruptive force" who inserted himself into every aspect of the relationship. The lawsuit claims that Balelo threatened litigation if Hayes and Matsumoto weren't terminated from the project.

    A spokesperson for Kingsbarn Realty Capital, which partnered with Hayes and Matsumoto, called the allegations "completely frivolous and without merit." Ohtani's direct involvement in the dispute appears limited, but he was included as a defendant because Balelo acted on his behalf. This means that Ohtani has another potential distraction to navigate off the field.

    Attorney Arash Sadat notes that this type of legal dispute is common in real estate deals and may not affect Ohtani's performance on the field. If the case proceeds, it's possible that Ohtani could be required to give a deposition detailing his knowledge of the alleged events, but this is unlikely to happen imminently.