Angels Settle Tyler Skaggs Wrongful-Death Lawsuit Over 2019 Overdose
The Los Angeles Angels have reached a confidential settlement in the wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the widow and parents of pitcher Tyler Skaggs, following a two-month trial at the Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana.
Skaggs died in 2019 at age 27 from fentanyl-laced pills, with a coroner determining the cause as choking on vomit with a toxic combination of alcohol, fentanyl, and oxycodone in his system. The plaintiffs alleged the Angels should have been aware of drug activity linked to Eric Kay, the team's communications director, who was convicted in Texas in 2022 for providing a counterfeit oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl and sentenced to 22 years in prison.
The plaintiffs, including Skaggs' widow Carli and his parents, contended that the Angels failed to intervene despite Kay's influence and erratic behavior, whereas the Angels argued that officials had no knowledge of Skaggs' drug use and would have sought help for him if they had been aware.
During the trial, testimonies were given by Major League Baseball players such as Mike Trout, Angels president John Carpino, and family members, with witnesses describing Kay's erratic conduct, pills found at his home, and his impact on players.
The settlement closes a legal process that lasted six years. Jurors deliberated before the case concluded, with Judge H Shaina Colover thanking the jurors. If punitive damages were deemed appropriate, those would be determined later.
This case came after MLB's post-death agreement with the players association to initiate opioid testing and refer any positive results to a treatment board.
