{"id":25211,"date":"2025-12-02T17:10:49","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T01:10:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/tyler-skaggs-widow-testifies-that-she-wasnt-aware-of-his-illicit-drug-use-but-now-understands-why-he-did-it-daily-news\/"},"modified":"2025-12-02T17:10:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T01:10:50","slug":"tyler-skaggs-widow-testifies-that-she-wasnt-aware-of-his-illicit-drug-use-but-now-understands-why-he-did-it-daily-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/tyler-skaggs-widow-testifies-that-she-wasnt-aware-of-his-illicit-drug-use-but-now-understands-why-he-did-it-daily-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Tyler Skaggs\u2019 widow testifies that she wasn\u2019t aware of his illicit drug use, but now understands why he did it \u2013 Daily News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to the Trial<\/h1>\n

The widow of Tyler Skaggs, faced with evidence of her husband\u2019s illicit drug use, again denied knowing about his opioid habit leading up to his death, but testified that she now understands why he relied on the pills as she returned to the stand Tuesday in the wrongful death trial against the Los Angeles Angels.<\/p>\n

Understanding the Pressure of Playing Major League Baseball<\/h2>\n

Carli Skaggs fought back tears as she echoed testimony from one of her husband\u2019s former teammates about how the pressure of playing major league baseball has led players to turn to illicit opioids. \u201cI understand it, I\u2019m not saying something is right or wrong,\u201d Carli said. \u201cI feel sad that that is what they felt like they needed to do. That they trusted each other to get clean pills.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Role of Eric Kay in Providing Opioids<\/h3>\n

Carli added that her husband and the other former Angels players were unaware that former Angels communications staffer Eric Kay, who was providing them the opioids, was actually getting the pills from dealers he found online. \u201cI\u2019ve learned a lot of things since Tyler passed,\u201d she testified. \u201cI have compassion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier Testimony and Denial of Knowledge<\/h2>\n

During her earlier testimony in the plaintiff phase of the civil wrongful death trial, Carli denied knowing that he had a drug problem prior to his 2019 death in a Texas hotel room. She has testified to learning at one point that Skaggs had issues with Percocet while playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2013, prior to their relationship beginning. But Carli has continually testified that she was unaware that her husband was using opioids while playing for the Angels.<\/p>\n

Challenging Carli\u2019s Claims<\/h3>\n

Attorneys for the Angels, armed with numerous text messages from Skaggs that included drug references, challenged Carli about her claims to have been unaware of her husband\u2019s ongoing opioid use. \u201cI have a drug test today\u201d Tyler texted Carli in December 2014. \u201cYou do? (expletive). Why?\u201d Carli texted back, adding \u201cYou\u2019re straight right?\u201d In her testimony, Carli said she was worried that her husband was going to test positive for marijuana. In the text exchange, Tyler later wrote \u201clol they only test for steroids.\u201d<\/p>\n

Text Exchanges and Substance Abuse<\/h2>\n

At one point, Tyler appeared to reference a family history of substance abuse-related deaths. In another text exchange in December 2014, Carli wrote to Tyler that someone she knew had been found dead after \u201crelapsing.\u201d Tyler asked if that person had passed out and choked on their own vomit, adding \u201cI have 2 family members die like that.\u201d \u201cThis exchange took place just four months after you learned Tyler had a Percocet issue?\u201d Angels attorney Stephen Ladsous asked. \u201cI guess so,\u201d Carli replied.<\/p>\n

Awareness of Drug Use<\/h3>\n

\u201cDid you ask Tyler if he ever passed out from taking pills?\u201d The attorney asked. \u201cNo.\u201d In July 2015, Tyler texted Carli \u201cI\u2019m a drug addict lol.\u201d Carli \u2014 who explained she believed Tyler was joking \u2014 responded by writing \u201cBabe ok.\u201d \u201cAs in \u2018Yeah right,\u2019\u201d Carli added during her testimony.<\/p>\n

The Practice of Asking Teammates for Pain Medication<\/h2>\n

\u201cGetting drug tested again,\u201d Tyler texted Carli in August 2017, leading her to respond \u201comg why haha.\u201d At the same time he was texting Carli, Tyler was also messaging teammate Matt Shoemaker \u201cWhattup shoe anyway I can get one of those pain pills from you so I can take it during the game haha.\u201d Shoemaker wrote back \u201cNo problem man.\u201d \u201cWas it ok, in your mind, Tyler\u2019s practice of asking teammates for non-prescribed pain medication as long as he was feeling pain?\u201d Ladsous asked. \u201cI mean, best practice would be to go to the doctor and get his own prescription,\u201d Carli responded.<\/p>\n

The Circumstances of Tyler\u2019s Death<\/h3>\n

The attorney, noting that common side-effects of opioid use include constipation and indigestion, showed jurors a text exchange from May 2018 in which Tyler complained about his stomach hurting and Carli responded by writing \u201cDamn babe what\u2019s that from\u201d before adding \u201call the pills.\u201d Around the same time he was texting Carli that day, the attorney noted, Tyler sent Erik Kay \u2014 the Angels staffer who provided illicit pills to Tyler and other players \u2014 $1,650 through Venmo. In a Texas hotel room in July 2019 at the start of a team road trip, Tyler snorted the contents of a counterfeit pill that Kay had given him that turned out to contain fentanyl. He also consumed oxycodone and consumed alcohol. The 27-year-old pitcher was found dead the next morning. Kay is serving time in federal prison for his role in Skaggs\u2019 death.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Carli\u2019s testimony came during the second day of testimony in the defense phase of what is expected to be a two-month trial. Attorneys for the Angels are expected to argue that Tyler hid his drug addiction, preventing them from getting him help and potentially saving his life. The jury will ultimately have to decide whether the Angels knew, or at least should have known, that Kay was providing Skaggs with opioid pills. Testimony in the wrongful death trial continues Wednesday in Orange County Superior Court.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n