Additional details about Tyler Skaggs' untimely death have come to light.
ESPN reports Eric Kay, the Angels' director of communications, told federal agents he had supplied Skaggs with Oxycodone pills just days before the pitcher was found dead inside a Texas hotel room. A toxicology report released back in August revealed Skaggs had died from a mixture of "alcohol, Fentanyl, and Oxycodone intoxication," which caused him to choke on his vomit; however Kay reportedly told DEA agents he does not believe he supplied the drugs that ultimately led to Skaggs' death. Why? Because Skaggs allegedly asked for more pills on the day the Angels left for Texas, but Kay was unable to supply them.
Kay's attorney, Michael Molfetta, confirmed his client's statements to investigators to ESPN.
The communications director reportedly told the feds Skaggs had stopped by his Southlake Hilton hotel room just hours before his death. At the time, Kay allegedly witnessed the athlete snort two lines of crushed Oxycodone and a third line of a substance he did not recognize. Kay also allegedly admitted to supplying Skaggs with drugs over the past several years, and claimed two Angels officials were aware of the pitcher's substance abuse. Sources said Tim Mead, the Angels' former vice president of communications, was one of those officials. Mead denied having any knowledge of Skaggs' drug use.
"I have had a lot of conversations with Eric Kay about a lot of things, but opioids and Tyler Skaggs were not one of them," Mead told ESPN.
Insiders said Kay has also identified five other athletes who he believed were abusing opiates while they were playing for Los Angeles. Angels president, John Carpino, claims the team had no knowledge of any drug use among its players.
"We have never heard that any employee was providing illegal narcotics to any player, or that any player was seeking illegal narcotics," Carpino said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. "The Angels maintain a strict, zero tolerance policy regarding the illicit use of drugs for both players and staff. Every one of our players must also abide by the MLB Joint Drug Agreement. We continue to mourn the loss of Tyler and fully cooperate with the authorities as they continue their investigation."
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