Sudden Death of Angels Pitcher Sparks Court Battle Over Alleged PR Staff Drug Transfer
The late Mr. SkaggsAfter a long legal battle, a resolution has finally been reached.
On December 20 (Japan time), it was reported by local newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times that a settlement had been reached between the parties in the case in which the family of a suddenly deceased Angels starting pitcher sued the team. The Angels will be required to pay a large sum in damages. The exact amount is unknown, but the family had reportedly sought $118 million (about ¥18.4 billion) in damages.
“The case in court concerns the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who died at the young age of 27 in July 2019. Skaggs was found dead at a hotel while on a road trip. He was drafted in the first round in 2009 and joined the Angels. In 2018, he recorded eight wins and ten losses, serving as a pillar of the starting rotation, and was also close friends with Shohei Ohtani (31), who joined the Angels the same year. They often exchanged advice,” said a U.S.-based writer.
FRIDAY Digital reported in July 2021, shortly after the family sued the Angels, on the background of Skaggs’s death. Here, we revisit the situation and re-examine the team culture that became a point of concern.
A huge shock was received
“Skaggs was found in a transformed state at a hotel in the Dallas suburbs. He reportedly choked to death on vomit. An autopsy revealed high levels of alcohol along with oxycodone, a synthetic painkiller. Oxycodone is a drug that has become a social issue in the U.S. due to addiction and is banned in Major League Baseball,” said a sports journalist.
At the time of his death, Skaggs was the Angels’ third starting pitcher. His close friend Ohtani reportedly received frequent advice from him about playing in the majors and living in the U.S. The day after the incident, all Angels players held a moment of silence and played wearing Skaggs’s number 45.
While the players were engulfed in grief, inconvenient truths about the team gradually came to light.
“How Skaggs obtained the drugs was under scrutiny, and in October 2020, an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration revealed that Angels public relations staffer A (currently serving a 22-year prison sentence) had provided them.
A, a regular opioid user, introduced Skaggs to a drug dealer. Each purchase reportedly earned A $150–$600 (about ¥17,000–¥67,000 at the time). The family expressed distrust toward the team, stating, ‘We are deeply shocked to learn that Angels personnel may have been involved,’ and hired a prominent lawyer to pursue the team’s legal responsibility,” the source said.
In response to the family’s firm stance, the Angels stated they were unaware of Skaggs’s or A’s drug use. However, sports journalist Nachi Tomonari, who follows Major League Baseball closely, had expressed skepticism about the Angels’ team culture from the start.
“The Angels had a tendency to push injured players to participate. The widespread use of painkillers cannot be ruled out. In fact, A testified to authorities that other players were also obtaining drugs. If the team truly did not know about Skaggs’s or A’s drug use, their management was clearly insufficient. The players should have received much stronger support.”
The legal battle between the Angels and the family has concluded. However, the team culture that allegedly pushed players to the limits through drug use has not been fully revealed.
PHOTO.： AP/Afro