The Los Angeles Angels have reached a confidential settlement with the family of late pitcher Tyler Skaggs following a lengthy trial that exposed drug use among players. The trial focused on whether the Angels were responsible for Skaggs’ overdose death in 2019, which was caused by a counterfeit oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl given to him by the team’s then-communications director. The settlement was reached as jurors were nearing the end of their deliberations.
Jurors found the Angels negligent and were determining the percentage of responsibility the team shared for Skaggs’ death. Testimonies during the trial revealed details of the team’s knowledge of drug issues among players, including the role of the team’s communications director in providing drugs to players. Skaggs’ widow and parents alleged that the team should have known about the drug addiction of the communications director.
The tragic death of Tyler Skaggs shed light on the dangers of opioid use, with the team expressing their condolences in a statement. The communications director was convicted in 2022 for providing the fentanyl-laced pill to Skaggs and was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Witnesses in the trial described Skaggs’ struggles with painkillers and the circumstances surrounding his death.
The civil trial in California included over 40 witnesses testifying about drug use in baseball and Skaggs’ personal challenges. Skaggs, a left-handed pitcher, had been a key player for the Angels and had a promising career ahead of him. The jury deliberated on assigning punitive damages, with some jurors finding it challenging to determine the responsibility among Skaggs, the communications director, and the team.
After spending two months in court, jurors expressed relief that the case was settled, avoiding the need to assign a monetary value to someone’s life. The settlement brings closure to the Skaggs family after years of living with the tragedy. The judge thanked the jurors for their diligence in reaching a resolution.
