Mike Trout Mourns Skaggs, Claims Unawareness of Late Teammate’s Drug Use

In a recent testimony, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout claimed he had a brotherly affection for his late teammate Tyler Skaggs and remained oblivious to any signs of drug use prior to his fatal overdose in 2019 during a team trip to Texas.

Trout, a recipient of three American League Most Valuable Player awards, took the stand in a California civil trial investigating whether the MLB team is liable for the actions of their communication director Eric Kay, who provided Skaggs with a deadly fentanyl-laced pill.

Trout spoke about his friendship with Skaggs throughout their professional journey starting when they were rookies playing for a host family in Iowa. Both players were ushered into the professional fold right out of high school in 2009, with Trout hailing from New Jersey and Skaggs from California.

Skaggs, who was characterized by Trout as being “very funny, outgoing, and fun to be around”, was also the unofficial DJ of the team. Trout noted, however, that Kay, despite being adept at his job, exhibited signs of possibly engaging in drug use.

This revelation came as part of a wrongful death lawsuit initiated by Skaggs’ wife and his parents, who argue reckless decisions on the part of the Angels helped Kay, himself addicted to drugs, provide illegal substances to major league players.

The Angels, however, have refuted this, claiming Skaggs was involved in heavy drinking and that the incident occurred during his free time and within the privacy of his hotel room.

The 27 year-old Skaggs was found lifeless in a suburban Dallas hotel room, with a coroner’s report estimating an upper-90s ball velocity, in what was considered a flourishing season, 2019. This lawsuit comes on the heels of a 22-year federal prison sentence given to Kay in 2022 for providing Skaggs with the fatal counterfeit oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl.

The family is currently seeking $118 million in damages from the team. In the wake of Skaggs’ death, MLB now screens for opioids and individuals who test positive are mandated to report to a treatment board.

Trout, reminiscing about the quality times spent with Skaggs, expressed that he greatly missed his friend, whom he regarded as the “life of the party”. The prominent outfielder even keeps Skaggs’ No. 45 jersey hung up in his house as a remembrance of their friendship.