Angels President Reflects on Missed Warning Signs Before Pitcher’s Tragic Overdose

The president of the Los Angeles Angels baseball team, John Carpino, recently testified in a wrongful death lawsuit concerning the tragic overdose of pitcher Tyler Skaggs. Carpino expressed the profound impact Skaggs’ death had on the organization, stating he wished he had been made aware sooner of the drug use involving both the player and a team employee.

Since taking on the role in 2009, Carpino has overseen the team during a tumultuous period. His comments came during the closing moments of defense testimony in a lengthy trial in California, which seeks to determine whether the MLB team bears any responsibility for Skaggs’ death. Carpino revealed to jurors that both Skaggs and Eric Kay, the team’s communications director who was convicted of supplying Skaggs with a fentanyl-laced pill, were struggling with addiction and involved in drug distribution.

Related: California Judge Oks Lawsuit Against Angels Over Skaggs Death

“Knowing what we know now, I wish we would have heard,” Carpino remarked, highlighting the regret felt by the organization.

As the trial progresses, closing arguments are set for Monday in the lawsuit initiated by Skaggs’ family. They argue that the Angels organization was aware or should have been aware of Kay’s drug addiction and his dealings with players. The defense, however, contends that team officials were unaware of Skaggs’ drug use, asserting that any interactions between Skaggs and Kay occurred during their personal time, specifically in the privacy of the player’s hotel room during a trip to Texas.

The trial, which commenced in October, has featured testimonies from various players, including Angels outfielder Mike Trout, team employees, and Skaggs’ widow, Carli, along with his parents.

It has been six years since the 27-year-old Skaggs was found dead in a hotel room in suburban Dallas, where he was staying ahead of a scheduled four-game series against the Texas Rangers. A coroner’s report indicated that the left-handed pitcher choked on his vomit, with a toxic combination of alcohol, fentanyl, and oxycodone detected in his system.

In 2022, Kay was convicted of providing Skaggs with a counterfeit oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl and received a 22-year sentence in federal prison. His federal trial in Texas included testimony from five MLB players who stated they had received oxycodone from Kay at various times between 2017 and 2019, the years he was accused of obtaining and distributing pills to Angels players.

Throughout the civil trial, witnesses recounted Kay’s erratic behavior at the stadium and incidents that led to his drug rehabilitation before the trip to Texas. Kay’s ex-wife, Camela Kay, testified that the team failed to support her husband, who worked long hours. She also mentioned that during his 2019 hospitalization for a drug overdose, she learned he had pills intended for Skaggs.

Skaggs had been a consistent presence in the Angels’ starting rotation since late 2016, despite facing numerous injuries during that time. He previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In the wake of Skaggs’ death, Major League Baseball reached an agreement with the players’ association to implement testing for opioids and to refer players who test positive to a treatment board.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The president of the Los Angeles Angels baseball team, John Carpino, recently testified in a wrongful death lawsuit concerning the tragic overdose of pitcher Tyler Skaggs. Carpino expressed the profound impact Skaggs’ death had on the organization, stating he wished he had been made aware sooner of the drug use involving both the player and a team employee.

Since taking on the role in 2009, Carpino has overseen the team during a tumultuous period. His comments came during the closing moments of defense testimony in a lengthy trial in California, which seeks to determine whether the MLB team bears any responsibility for Skaggs’ death. Carpino revealed to jurors that both Skaggs and Eric Kay, the team’s communications director who was convicted of supplying Skaggs with a fentanyl-laced pill, were struggling with addiction and involved in drug distribution.

Related: California Judge Oks Lawsuit Against Angels Over Skaggs Death

“Knowing what we know now, I wish we would have heard,” Carpino remarked, highlighting the regret felt by the organization.

As the trial progresses, closing arguments are set for Monday in the lawsuit initiated by Skaggs’ family. They argue that the Angels organization was aware or should have been aware of Kay’s drug addiction and his dealings with players. The defense, however, contends that team officials were unaware of Skaggs’ drug use, asserting that any interactions between Skaggs and Kay occurred during their personal time, specifically in the privacy of the player’s hotel room during a trip to Texas.

The trial, which commenced in October, has featured testimonies from various players, including Angels outfielder Mike Trout, team employees, and Skaggs’ widow, Carli, along with his parents.

It has been six years since the 27-year-old Skaggs was found dead in a hotel room in suburban Dallas, where he was staying ahead of a scheduled four-game series against the Texas Rangers. A coroner’s report indicated that the left-handed pitcher choked on his vomit, with a toxic combination of alcohol, fentanyl, and oxycodone detected in his system.

In 2022, Kay was convicted of providing Skaggs with a counterfeit oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl and received a 22-year sentence in federal prison. His federal trial in Texas included testimony from five MLB players who stated they had received oxycodone from Kay at various times between 2017 and 2019, the years he was accused of obtaining and distributing pills to Angels players.

Throughout the civil trial, witnesses recounted Kay’s erratic behavior at the stadium and incidents that led to his drug rehabilitation before the trip to Texas. Kay’s ex-wife, Camela Kay, testified that the team failed to support her husband, who worked long hours. She also mentioned that during his 2019 hospitalization for a drug overdose, she learned he had pills intended for Skaggs.

Skaggs had been a consistent presence in the Angels’ starting rotation since late 2016, despite facing numerous injuries during that time. He previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In the wake of Skaggs’ death, Major League Baseball reached an agreement with the players’ association to implement testing for opioids and to refer players who test positive to a treatment board.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.