In a surprising Friday settlement, the Los Angeles Angels agreed to a confidential deal with the family of late pitcher Tyler Skaggs after a two-month trial that exposed a culture of drug use among players.
The settlement came as jurors approached the end of their deliberations, according to the court.
The trial centered on whether the Angels were responsible for Skaggs’ 2019 overdose death during a team trip to Texas.
Skaggs, 27, died in a Dallas hotel room while the Angels were set to open a four-game series against the Texas Rangers.
A coroner’s report concluded he choked on vomit after a toxic mix of alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone was found in his system.
The team’s former communications director, Eric Kay, was accused of giving Skaggs a counterfeit oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl.
Kay was convicted in 2022 of providing the pill and received a 22-year prison sentence.
More than 40 witnesses testified, describing drug use among players and the team’s culture.
Among them were outfielder Mike Trout and president John Carpino, who appeared before the jury.
Skaggs’ widow, Carli, and his parents alleged the MLB team knew or should have known Kay was a drug addict.
Rusty Hardin, the plaintiffs’ attorney, told reporters, “Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of their lives after six years of living with this.”
The Angels argued that officials would have helped Skaggs if they had known he was taking drugs.
In a Friday statement, the Angels said, “The death of Tyler Skaggs remains a tragedy, and this trial sheds light on the dangers of opioid use.”
Jury member Jasson Thach said the Angels were negligent and the group had been estimating damages between $60 million and $100 million.
Jurors began deliberations this week, sending a question to the court about punitive damages on Wednesday.
About a third of the jurors leaned toward the plaintiffs, a third toward the team, and a third were undecided.
Juror Deborah Song expressed relief, saying, “I am so happy because that way I don’t have to put a number on somebody’s life.”
Judge H. Shaina Colover thanked the jurors for their diligence, stating, “That is why this matter was able to be resolved today.”
The confidential settlement was reached as jurors were nearing the end of their deliberations, the court said.
Kay, a longtime Angels employee, was sent on the Texas road trip shortly after returning to work from rehab.
During his criminal trial, five MLB players testified that they received oxycodone from Kay between 2017 and 2019.
Skaggs had been a regular in the Angels’ starting rotation since late 2016 and had previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Witnesses described how Skaggs struggled with painkillers earlier in his career and was found to have snorted a pill when he died.
The group had been estimating damages at between $60 million and $100 million before the settlement.
The details of the settlement remain confidential, but the agreement was described as a last-minute resolution.
The civil trial took place in California, while Kay’s criminal case was in Texas.
Testimony revealed players drank, partied on the team plane, and paid Kay for clubhouse stunts.
Kay was found with plastic bags filled with pills at his home and later hospitalized for a drug overdose.
Skaggs’ death was caused by choking on vomit after ingesting a toxic mix of alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone.
The settlement resolves a long-running legal battle that highlighted the dangers of opioid use within professional sports.
Key Takeaways
- The Angels settled with Skaggs’ family after a trial that revealed widespread drug use.
- Eric Kay, the team’s former communications director, was convicted of supplying the fatal pill.
- The settlement, confidential in amount, ended a legal dispute that questioned the team’s negligence.
The Angels’ settlement with Skaggs’ family marks a pivotal moment for the franchise and raises questions about player welfare and organizational accountability.
As the team moves forward, the case serves as a stark reminder of the tragic consequences that can arise when drug use is overlooked in high-profile environments.
