A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Monday denied Trevor Bauer’s request to obtain the cellphone records of the woman who accused him of sexual assault, citing a technicality, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Judge Dianna Gould-Saltman ruled that attorneys for the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher did not file the proper motion in time, per the report.
The decision is expected to pave the way for Major League Baseball to assume the next phase of the investigation into Bauer and determine whether he can return to play. The league ultimately will decide whether Bauer should be penalized for violating the league’s sexual assault policy.
Bauer has contended he did nothing wrong since the woman’s accusations became public last June.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office in February elected not to file charges against Bauer, but MLB could suspend Bauer even in the absence of legal action.
Bauer and his legal team were seeking his accuser’s records in a quest to show that she concocted the accusations against Bauer in hopes of profiting. Further, Bauer’s team asserted the accuser abused the restraining order process and should pay Bauer’s legal fees, per the report.
However, Gould-Saltman indicated she would have ruled against the request regardless of the technicality.
Bauer’s legal team initially subpoenaed the Pasadena (Calif.) Police Department for the phone — which it had as part of its investigation — without the court’s permission.
Gould-Saltman also denied the woman’s request to have Bauer pay $10,000 of her legal fees in the subpoena process for her phone records, per the report.
Bauer, 31, is on administrative leave through April 16. He reportedly would not speak with MLB investigators until after Monday’s hearing.
Bauer is now expected to meet with MLB and offer his version of events, but without the cell records he hoped to have.
Bauer did not pitch after June 28, once allegations revealed an aggressive sexual encounter with a woman that was alleged to have caused injuries. Pasadena police launched an investigation while MLB placed Bauer on leave, then extended it multiple times throughout the season, including the playoffs.
An initial ruling in August dissolved a restraining order that was filed by the accuser.
Bauer made just 17 starts last season and pitched 107 2/3 innings to begin a three-year, $102 million free-agent deal he signed in February 2021. He was 8-5 with a 2.59 ERA and received his full $31.3 million pay in 2021.
Should he be suspended, he will not be paid. He is due to earn $35.3 million this season.
–Field Level Media