Jul 17, 2019; Anaheim, CA, USA; Detailed view of a memorial for Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs on the outfield wall at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Skaggs, 27, died at a lodge in Southlake, Texas, July 1, 2019, the place he was discovered unresponsive previous to a sport towards the Texas Rangers. Obligatory Credit score: Kirby Lee-Imagn Photos Los Angeles Angels star outfielder Mike Trout, testifying on Tuesday within the civil trial introduced by the household of late pitcher Tyler Skaggs, accusing the membership of wrongful dying, mentioned he knew that then-team communications director Eric Kay had a drug downside.
The household filed a $118 million lawsuit, asserting that the group knew of Kay’s drug abuse, which it alleges contributed to Skaggs dying of an unintended overdose in 2019 at age 27.
An emotional Trout, who roomed with Skaggs all through their shared time within the minors and majors with the Angels’ group, was the primary participant to take the stand. Below questioning from plaintiffs lawyer Shawn Holley, Trout testified {that a} group worker alerted him to drug abuse by Kay previous to Skaggs’ dying in a Texas lodge room.
The household contends that Angels workers have been conscious of Kay’s drug abuse but stored him on the employees.
Former group officers Tim Mead and Tom Taylor beforehand testified that they have been unaware of Kay’s drug abuse, however Kay’s spouse refuted that assertion with textual content messages that have been offered in court docket.
ESPN reported in October 2019 that federal investigators have been knowledgeable that group officers have been conscious of Skaggs’ drug use and that Kay was promoting medicine to him and different gamers.
Kay, the group’s former communications director, “earned” cash from Angels gamers by performing weird stunts, like taking a fastball to his leg or shaving off an eyebrow, Trout testified.
Trout mentioned that Kay’s habits and warnings from Angels clubhouse attendant Kris Constanti led him to consider Kay was “utilizing one thing,” however he “did not know what it was.”
Trout ceased any funds he made to Kay for autographed baseballs or different gadgets. He added that he intervened with Kay as soon as he was satisfied of the abuse, testifying that he advised him, “‘You have got two boys at residence … and you need to get this proper.'”
In her opening assertion final week, Holley acknowledged the Angels put Skaggs “immediately in hurt’s method” by not terminating him as a result of his weird habits.
Angels lawyer Todd Theodora asserted that Kay was not appearing throughout the space of his job description when he supplied medicine to Skaggs.
Kay was convicted in 2022 of offering Skaggs with fentanyl-laced oxycodone that led to the pitcher’s dying. He’s in a federal jail serving a 22-year sentence.
–Discipline Degree Media
