Los Angeles Angels settles lawsuit with family of pitcher Tyler Skaggs over fatal overdose

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels reached a confidential settlement Friday in a lawsuit over the drug overdose death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs.

The decision to settle was reached after a two-month civil trial in Southern California over whether the Angels should be held responsible for Skaggs’ 2019 death after he snorted a fentanyl-laced pill provided by the team’s communications director, Eric Kay.

Skaggs’ widow, Carli, and his parents filed the lawsuit alleging the MLB team knew or should have known Kay was a drug addict and dealing painkillers to players. The settlement closes a painful six-year process, the Skaggs family said in a statement.

“We are deeply grateful to the members of this jury, and to our legal team,” the family said in the statement. "Their engagement and focus gave us faith, and now we have finality. This trial exposed the truth and we hope Major League Baseball will now do its part in holding the Angels accountable. While nothing can bring Tyler back, we will continue to honor his memory.”

The team has contended officials didn’t know Skaggs was taking drugs and would have sought him help if they did.

“The death of Tyler Skaggs remains a tragedy, and this trial sheds light on the dangers of opioid use and the devastating effects it can have," the team said in a statement Friday.

Jurors began deliberating earlier this week.

Orange County Superior Court Judge H. Shaina Colover thanked jurors for their diligence. “That is why this matter was able to be resolved today,” she said, before releasing them.

Six years ago, the 27-year-old left-handed pitcher was found dead in the suburban Dallas hotel room where he was staying as the Angels were supposed to open a four-game series against the Texas Rangers. A coroner’s report said the player choked to death on his vomit, and a toxic mix of alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone was found in his system.

Kay, a longtime Angels employee, was convicted in 2022 of providing Skaggs with a counterfeit oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl and sentenced to 22 years in prison. His criminal trial in Texas included testimony from five MLB players who said they received oxycodone from Kay at various times from 2017 to 2019.

In California, MLB players including outfielder Mike Trout, Angels president John Carpino, and Skaggs’ and Kay’s relatives testified during the trial in a Santa Ana courtroom. Witnesses for the plaintiffs described how Kay was acting erratic at the stadium and found with multiple plastic bags filled with pills at his home and later hospitalized for a drug overdose. They also recounted how Kay got players massage appointments, tee times and even prescription medication, and was paid by players for stunts like taking a fastball to the leg.

Angels attorneys pointed out that Skaggs was hooked on painkillers before he signed with the Angels in 2013. They said Skaggs got his teammates into taking pills and got Kay to provide them, but kept it secret out of concern it could jeopardize their MLB careers. Had team officials known Kay was dealing drugs, or Skaggs was taking them, they would have done something, the lawyers said.

Witnesses also sparred during the case over how much money Skaggs would have made as a pitcher had he lived. Experts for the plaintiffs said he could have reeled in between $91 million and $101 million, while the Angels put the figure at no more than $32 million.

Skaggs had been a regular in the Angels’ starting rotation since late 2016 and struggled with injuries repeatedly during that time. He previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

After Skaggs’ death, the MLB reached a deal with the players association to start testing for opioids and to refer those who test positive to the treatment board.

Rusty Hardin, an attorney for the plaintiffs, welcomed the settlement and said the amount remains confidential. Hardin said there were rules in place and the Angels ignored them.

“The changes need to be by teams like the Angels who let this happen,” Hardin said.

Before the judge announced the settlement Friday, jurors had remained behind closed doors after lawyers for both sides had gone to speak with Colover.

Late Wednesday, jurors had sent out a note asking whether they “get to decide the punitive damage amount,” saying there is no field for it on the verdict form. The judge said she would send a note replying that if they decide there should be punitive damages, they would decide how much at a later time.

The jury did not work on Thursday and resumed deliberations Friday morning.

Attorney Russell Hardin Jr. right speaks in front of Tyler Skaggs' widow Carli Skaggs, center, and mother Debbie Skaggs, at left, after a settlement was reached in the wrongful death lawsuit by the family of the Los Angeles Angels pitcher Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Orange County Superior Court, in Santa Ana, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Attorney Russell Hardin Jr. hugs Tyler Skaggs' widow, Carli Skaggs, center, as Skaggs mother's Debbie smiles, at left, after a settlement was reached in the wrongful death lawsuit by the family of the Los Angeles Angels pitcher Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Orange County Superior Court, in Santa Ana, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

John Carpino, center, president of the Los Angeles Angels, sits with Kevin Dorse, left, and Todd Theodora as they wait for a verdict in the wrongful death lawsuit by the family of pitcher Tyler Skaggs against the Los Angeles Angels in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, Calif., Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool)

Tyler Skaggs mother, Debbie Skaggs, center, smiles in court after a settlement was reached in the wrongful death lawsuit by the family of pitcher Tyler Skaggs against the Los Angeles Angels in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, Calif., Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool)

Tyler Skaggs mother, Debbie Skaggs, center, gets a hug in court after a settlement was reached in the wrongful death lawsuit by the family of pitcher Tyler Skaggs against the Los Angeles Angels in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, Calif., Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool)

Attorney Daniel Dutko gives his closing arguments in the wrongful death lawsuit by the family of pitcher Tyler Skaggs against the Los Angeles Angels in Orange County Superior Court, in Santa Ana, Calif., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

Attorney Daniel Dutko gives his closing arguments in the wrongful death lawsuit by the family of pitcher Tyler Skaggs against the Los Angeles Angels in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, Calif., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

Judge H. Shaina Colover listens as Daniel Dutko gives his closing arguments in the wrongful death lawsuit by the family of pitcher Tyler Skaggs against the Los Angeles Angels in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, Calif., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

Attorneys listen as Daniel Dutko gives his closing arguments in the wrongful death lawsuit by the family of pitcher Tyler Skaggs against the Los Angeles Angels in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, Calif., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

FILE - In this June 29, 2019, file photo, Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs throws to an Oakland Athletics batter during a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

New York Jets (3-11) at New Orleans (4-10)

Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EST, Fox.

BetMGM NFL odds: Saints by 4 1/2.

Against the spread: Jets 7-6-1, Saints 6-8.

Series record: Saints lead 8-6.

Last meeting: Saints beat the Jets 30-9 on Dec. 12, 2021, at New York.

Last week: Jets lost to the Jaguars 48-20; Saints beat the Panthers 20-17.

Jets offense: overall (28), rush (6t), pass (32), scoring (27).

Jets defense: overall (20), rush (29), pass (12), scoring (30).

Saints offense: overall (26), rush (27), pass (20t), scoring (29t).

Saints defense: overall (11), rush (26), pass (6), scoring (19t).

Turnover differential: Jets minus-17; Saints minus-4.

QB Brady Cook. The undrafted rookie will make his second start in a row after making his NFL regular-season debut last week. Cook, a former star at Missouri, was 22 of 33 for 176 yards and one touchdown with three interceptions in the 48-20 loss at Jacksonville. Coach Aaron Glenn said he wants to see more of Cook to evaluate him as the season winds down. Either Tyrod Taylor (groin) or Justin Fields (knee), who missed last week with injuries, will serve as Cook’s backup.

WR Chris Olave. Now in his fourth NFL season, he's closing in on his third 1,000-yard campaign. He has 82 catches for 896 yards and six TDs. Olave also eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in his first two NFL seasons (2022 and 2023) before being sidelined for nine games in 2024 by injuries, including a major concussion.

Top Jets pass rusher Will McDonald, a defensive end who has seven sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 17 QB hurries this season, against rookie left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., who was New Orleans' top draft choice last spring, picked ninth overall. McDonald was the Jets' top pick, 15th overall, in 2023 and has no sacks in the last five games since getting four against Cleveland.

Jets: Both Taylor and Fields were listed as questionable for the game. Taylor was a full participant at practice Friday, while Fields was limited. ... TE Mason Taylor (neck), S Tony Adams (groin), LB Kiko Mauigoa (neck) and DL Eric Watts (concussion) were ruled out early in the week. Adams was later placed on injured reserve. … WR Garrett Wilson (knee) remains on IR with a knee injury and coach Aaron Glenn announced Friday he'll be shut down for the rest of the season.

Saints: RB Devin Neal (hamstring) and WR Devaughn Vele (shoulder) were placed on IR. ... RB Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle), and OLs Cesar Ruiz and Asim Richards were ruled out for the game. ... DT Nathan Shepherd (ankle, knee), a third-round pick of the Jets in 2018, was questionable.

The Saints have won four of the past five meetings, including the past two. ... These teams have split six previous meetings in New Orleans.

The Jets have lost two in a row and four of their last five. … Glenn made his first major staff change by firing defensive coordinator Steve Wilks on Monday. Chris Harris, the team’s defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator, takes over for Wilks. … New York has no interceptions through 14 games, an NFL record to start a season. It also ties the league mark for most consecutive games without an INT over any 14-game stretch. San Francisco ended its drought earlier this season. … The defense has just two takeaways this season: both on fumble recoveries, including one by rookie S Malachi Moore last week. … Cook was the second undrafted rookie quarterback in franchise history to start a game, joining Bill Demory (1973). … Cook opened against the Jaguars by completing each of his first six passes, the 13th NFL QB since 1991 to do so and the first since Mike White also accomplished it for the Jets in 2021. … The Jets have used the same starting offensive line combination – left tackle Olu Fashanu, left guard John Simpson, center Josh Myers, right guard Joe Tippmann and right tackle Armand Membou – the only NFL team to do so this season. It’s the first time the Jets have used the same starting five in the first 14 games since 2012, when they used only one lineup for the entire season, according to Stats Perform. … Since making his debut with the Jets in Week 11, WR Adonai Mitchell leads the team with 236 yards and two touchdowns on 18 receptions. He needs 76 yards receiving to surpass his total from last year in his rookie season with Indianapolis. … RB Breece Hall is 100 yards rushing from his first 1,000-yard season. He would also become the eighth player in franchise history to run for 1,000 or more yards. ... Saints QB Tyler Shough passed for 272 yards and a TD, and rushed for a team-high 32 yards, in Week 15. ... Shough has at least one TD pass in two of his past three games. ... Olave led New Orleans with 85 yards receiving and a TD in Week 15. He's one of seven NFL players with at least 50 yards receiving in 11 games this season. Olave has a TD catch in two of his last three games and at least 70 yards receiving in each of his past two home games. ... LB Demario Davis had five tackles last week, including his 1,500th career tackle. Davis is one of four players since 2000 to reach the 1,500-tackle mark, along with Lavonte David, London Fletcher and Bobby Wagner. ... Davis was drafted in 2012 by the Jets, with whom he had 467 tackles, 11 1/2 sacks, 31 tackles for loss, five fumble recoveries and an interception in five seasons over two stints.... LB Pete Werner had his third fumble recovery this season in Week 15, tied with Nashon Wright for most in the NFL this season. ... DE Chase Young led the Saints with six tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack in Week 15. ... Young has a sack in three of his past four games and also in each of his past three home games. ... DE Cameron Jordan has 128 sacks and 750 tackles since 2011 and is one of just two players since 2000, along with Terrell Suggs, with at least 125 sacks and 745 tackles in their career. ... Rookie S Jonas Sanker had six tackles in Week 15 and has at least five tackles in three of his past four games.

Given Shough's ability to produce points running or throwing, his increasing comfort with the offense and the fact he'll be at home against a struggling defense, he could be a good bet to put up decent numbers. The Saints' defense, which could finish in the top 10 in the NFL in fewest yards allowed, also could be a good fantasy play in this matchup.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) high fives fans as he leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ella Hall)

New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis (32) runs for a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) looks to pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ella Hall)

Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Dennis Gardeck (47) sacks New York Jets quarterback Brady Cook (4) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) scores a touchdown in the second half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)