ANAHEIM, CA – According to a toxicology report released Friday morning by the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office, Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs was found to have a mixture of had the opioids fentanyl and oxycodone along with alcohol in his system when he found dead in his hotel room on July 1.
The Angels organization releases a statement on Friday afternoon regarding the news of Skaggs death.
“We are heartbroken to learn that the passing of our beloved Tyler was the result of a combination of dangerous drugs and alcohol. That is completely out of character for someone who worked so hard to become a Major League Baseball player and had a very promising future in the game he loved so much.
“We are grateful for the work of the detectives in the Southlake Police Department and their ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding Tyler’s death.
“We were shocked to learn that it may involve an employee of the Los Angeles Angels. We will not rest until we learn the truth about how Tyler came into possession of these narcotics, including who supplied them. To that end, we have hired attorney Rusty Hardin to assist us.”
The Angels along with MLB have launched an investigation in to claims that a possible Angels employee could be involved surrounding the death of Skaggs.
Angels GM Billy Eppler expressed his thoughts at a press conference on Friday afternoon at Angel Stadium.
“It’s hard to find the words just how difficult the last couple of months has been on everybody on within the organization. Whether you’re in that clubhouse or whether you work in another area. I talked about Tyler’s impact a couple of months back, and how a lot of people in the organization felt connect with him that don’t dress in that lock room. We miss Tyler everyday.”
None of the players spoke with the media before the game, however teammate and friend Mike Trout shared his thoughts via twitter.
“Words cannot express the deep sadness we feel right now. Our thoughts and prayers are with Carli and their families. Remembering him as a great teammate, friend, and person who will forever remain in our hearts… we love you, 45,” Trout said in the post.
According to Tarrant County medical examiner, a mixture of “alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone intoxication with terminal aspiration of gastric contents,” meaning he choked on his vomit.
When the room was checked, it showed no signed of forced entry or any struggle.
According to the LA Times, Skaggs test showed 38 nanograms per milliliter of the prescription-strength pain killer oxycodone, this is banned by MLB Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, and he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.122%. A 0.08% limit is considered legally impaired in California.
Skaggs was on a one-year contract with the Angels for $3.7 million in his second year of arbitration. He would have been a free agency after the 2020 season.
