When Shohei Ohtani’s name lands in legal trouble, headlines follow. The Los Angeles Dodgers star once again faces controversy, this time tied to a $240 million luxury housing project in Hawaii. Developers claim Ohtani and his agent sabotaged the deal for personal gain. They accuse the pair of tortious interference and unjust enrichment—serious charges for any athlete.
As the baseball world reacts, one voice sticks out. Analyst and self-proclaimed Ohtani superfan Ben Verlander rushed to defend the two-way star, brushing aside the lawsuit in a way that reveals more about his devotion than any meaningful analysis.
Verlander Treats Scandal Like an Inconvenience
Verlander, the younger brother of future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander, has built much of his media persona around Ohtani. He has celebrated every home run, gushed over every MVP award, and crafted his brand as Ohtani’s most loyal advocate. That loyalty crossed into fanboy territory long ago, but his reaction to this lawsuit shows just how far he’s willing to go.
In a since-deleted tweet, Verlander dismissed the $240 million legal fight by telling fans, “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.”
For Verlander, Ohtani’s stature explains the entire controversy. But that framing ignores reality. Ohtani is MLB’s biggest star, the highest-paid player in league history, and a global figure whose brand carries enormous weight. Of course, his name being tied to a nine-figure lawsuit matters.
This isn’t the first time Ohtani has faced off-field controversy, and it’s not the first time Verlander has leapt to his defense. When Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was caught stealing nearly $17 million to cover gambling debts, Verlander immediately portrayed Ohtani strictly as a victim. He downplayed the bigger questions, offering sympathy without deeper accountability.
Now, confronted with another uncomfortable headline, Verlander has doubled down on that approach. Rather than acknowledging that lawsuits of this magnitude raise serious questions, he insists they mean little. That’s not analysis—it’s blind admirer behavior.
Why the Fanboy Defense Backfires
Verlander’s constant defense may please Ohtani’s most devoted fans, but it damages his credibility. At some point, he stops sounding like an analyst and starts sounding like an unpaid PR representative. A lawsuit involving $240 million is not “noise.” It’s a legal fight that could impact Ohtani’s reputation and business dealings.
The irony is striking. Ohtani has built his career on discipline, professionalism, and a carefully managed image. By dismissing lawsuits as irrelevant, Verlander only draws more attention to them. He makes the story about himself instead of the facts, which ultimately hurts Ohtani more than it helps.
Fans and media alike deserve fair coverage of Ohtani—good and evil. Blind defense, especially from someone who brands himself as an analyst, undermines that coverage. Verlander’s fanboy act might get clicks from Ohtani loyalists, but it leaves everyone else rolling their eyes.
As this lawsuit develops, Ohtani must deal with the legal fallout and the narratives surrounding him. But if Ben Verlander keeps brushing off scandals with embarrassing defenses, he risks becoming part of the story—and in the worst way possible.
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