Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are facing federal charges for allegedly rigging pitches in a scheme officials say “betrayed America’s pastime.” Prosecutors says Clase and Ortiz “agreed in advance” “to throw specific types and speeds of pitches,” even tossing balls in the dirt “in exchange for bribes or kickbacks” from sports bettors. In a statement to NBC News, Clase’s lawyer said “Emmanuel Clase has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win. Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.” NBC’s Emilie Ikeda reports for TODAY.

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