FILE: From left, Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, Nelson Cruz and Melky Cabrera, are shown. (AP)
NEW YORK – Major League Baseball's lawyers have issued subpoenas to Federal Express, AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile USA in an attempt to gain records for its investigation of players suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs.
The subpoenas were issued May 23, according to a case file in Florida's Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, where MLB sued Biogenesis of America, anti-aging clinic head Anthony Bosch and five others in March.
MLB asked Federal Express to turn over shipment records for Biogenesis, Bosch, the other defendants and a long list of individuals who appeared to be affiliated with Bosch.
MLB asked the phone companies for call records, texts and subscriber info for the phones of Juan Carlos Nunez, an associate of outfielder Melky Cabrera who was banned from big league clubhouses last year, and Porter Fischer, who was affiliated with the now-closed anti-aging clinic.
In addition, a subpoena was issued for Biogenesis and related entities in March, seeking records involving major leaguers and 70 banned substances. No players were mentioned by name.
Bosch agreed this week to cooperate with MLB's investigation. Because any discipline could be challenged by the players' association in grievances before an arbitrator, MLB likely would want records to corroborate any testimony.
There was no indication in the files whether the companies planned to challenge subpoenas.
"FedEx complies with all valid subpoenas and we are unable to comment further," company spokesman Scott Fiedler said.
AT&T Mobility spokesman Mark Siegel said he was looking into the matter, and T-Mobile spokeswoman Anne Marshall did not return a phone call and an email seeking comment.
MLB opened its latest drug investigation following a Miami New Times report about Biogenesis in January. Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun and Cabrera are among the players whose names appeared in Biogenesis documents, according to various media reports. All have denied any wrongdoing.
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AP Legal Affairs Writer Curt Anderson in Miami contributed to this report.
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