Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas is escalating pressure on Major League Baseball as he leads a Senate inquiry into gambling corruption at the same time one of the league’s top relievers faces explosive federal allegations of rigging pitches for profit. The probe — launched this week by the Senate Commerce Committee — seeks documents and briefings from MLB, major sportsbooks, and federal regulators as lawmakers warn that a surge in sports betting has outpaced safeguards meant to protect the integrity of competition.

Why It Matters

That scrutiny intensified Thursday when Cleveland Guardians star Emmanuel Clase pleaded not guilty in Brooklyn federal court to charges that he accepted bribes to help foreign gamblers win bets tied to his pitch speed and performance. With Congress deman

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