In a quiet Friday that ended a six‑year legal saga, the Los Angeles Angels agreed to a confidential settlement with the family of former pitcher Tyler Skaggs, whose July 2019 overdose death sparked a two‑month wrongful‑death trial.
The Settlement Announcement
The agreement was revealed on the fourth day of jury deliberations, the same day Orange County Superior Court Judge H. Shaina Colover dismissed jurors and thanked them for their service. Colover told the panel, “That is why this matter was able to be resolved today.” The settlement’s terms remain undisclosed, but the deal brings an end to the civil case that began in late 2023.
The Family’s Statement
In a press release, the Skaggs family said they can now focus on healing. “The Skaggs family has reached a confidential settlement with Angels Baseball that brings to a close a difficult six‑year process, allowing our families to focus on healing. We are deeply grateful to the members of this jury, and to our legal team,” the statement read. “Their engagement and focus gave us faith, and now we have finality. This trial exposed the truth and we hope Major League Baseball will now do its part in holding the Angels accountable. While nothing can bring Tyler back, we will continue to honor his memory.”
Background of the Case
Tyler Skaggs, 27, died on July 1, 2019, in a suburban Texas hotel room during a team road trip. A coroner’s report said he choked to death on his vomit, and a toxic mix of alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone was found in his system. The lawsuit, filed by his widow Carli Skaggs and his parents, sought $118 million in future‑earnings damages plus punitive damages.
The trial focused heavily on former Angels public‑relations staffer Eric Kay, who had a documented history of drug addiction. Kay was convicted in federal court in Texas of providing Skaggs with a counterfeit oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl and sentenced to 22 years in prison. His trial included testimony from five MLB players who said they received oxycodone from Kay between 2017 and 2019.
Family attorneys argued that Kay’s habit of dispensing pills to players was the primary cause of Skaggs’ death. They also claimed the Angels ignored obvious signs of on‑the‑job drug abuse and that team officials tried to portray the team as having worked with Major League Baseball on Kay’s drug issues. In closing, attorney Daniel Dutko said, “We believe Tyler Skaggs should be alive today. We wanted the truth to come out. The same cannot be said of the Angels.”
Team’s Defense and Jury Deliberations
The Angels’ attorneys maintained that Skaggs’ own struggles with pain‑killer addiction and his mixing of alcohol and drugs were the main factors in his death. They argued the fentanyl dose was not potent enough to kill the pitcher by itself and that the drugs were more dangerous when snorted rather than swallowed. The team also contended that any activity involving Kay and Skaggs occurred on their own time in the privacy of the player’s hotel room.
During deliberations, the jury sent a note asking the judge whether they could decide the punitive‑damage amount. Judge Colover replied that if they decided punitive damages were warranted, the amount would be determined later. The jury’s deliberations lasted roughly two months, culminating in the settlement announcement.
Key Players and Witnesses
Angels President John Carpino served as the team’s final witness. Carpino testified that he was unaware of Kay’s substance‑abuse issues and that the team had been alerted only after Kay was seen snorting drugs in Skaggs’ hotel room. He also noted that the team had met with federal prosecutors, the DEA and FBI, but no charges were ever brought against the Angels.
Other witnesses included Angels executive Molly Jolly, the team’s chief financial officer, and former Kay’s wife Camela Kay. Mike Trout, Skaggs’ teammate, testified that he had never seen signs of drug use before Skaggs’ death.
The Settlement’s Impact
While the settlement terms are confidential, the agreement allows the Skaggs family to move forward from a prolonged legal battle that began in 2018. The family’s statement emphasizes healing and the desire to honor Tyler’s memory, rather than seeking punitive measures.
The Angels’ acceptance of the settlement also means the MLB’s involvement in the case is limited to the team’s internal handling of Kay’s addiction, as the league was not found to have been aware of the situation.
Key Takeaways
- The Angels and the Skaggs family reached a confidential settlement after a two‑month wrongful‑death trial.
- Judge H. Shaina Colover dismissed jurors, citing the settlement as the reason for the case’s resolution.
- The settlement ends a six‑year legal process that began with a lawsuit seeking $118 million in damages.
The settlement marks the conclusion of a painful chapter for the Skaggs family and the Angels organization, allowing both parties to focus on healing and remembrance rather than ongoing litigation.
