Back in July, the horrible news came down that pitcher Tyler Skaggs passed away just days after pitching against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium.
About a month later, it was revealed the 27-year-old was determined to have died from a toxic combination of opioids and alcohol. On Saturday, ESPN released a damning report that indicated that the Los Angeles Angels were well aware of Skaggs’ opiod use.
According to ESPN’s T.J. Quinn, a public relations employee informed federal investigators that he provided and used opioids with Skaggs. He then claimed two team officials knew of Skaggs’ drug use long before his tragic death.
“Eric Kay, the Angels’ director of communications, also gave U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents the names of five other players who he believed were using opiates while they were Angels, the sources said.
Kay’s attorney, Michael Molfetta, reached late Friday, confirmed the details of Kay’s statements, given in separate meetings with DEA agents in Dallas and Los Angeles in late September.”
The report continues:
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“Kay told investigators he illegally obtained six oxycodone pills and gave three to Skaggs a day or two before the team left California for the road trip to Texas, according to the two sources. Kay told DEA agents he does not think the pills he obtained for Skaggs were the same ones the pitcher took the day he died because Skaggs typically would ingest the pills immediately after receiving them from Kay, the sources said. Skaggs also texted Kay the day the team left for Texas seeking more oxycodone, a request Kay told investigators he was unable to fulfill, the sources said.
Agents initially learned about oxycodone transactions between Kay and Skaggs after reviewing text messages between the two, according to the sources.”
Eric Kay is currently in outpatient treatment for substance abuse and has been placed on paid leave from the Angels.
This report could have damaging ramifications for the Angels organization as I’m sure Major League Baseball will be looking into this information.
Skaggs was originally drafted by the Angels in first round of the 2009 MLB Draft. He would be traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2010, but would eventually return to the Angels in 2014.
