Mike Trout testifies he confronted former Angels staffer about drug …
Los Angeles Angels star outfielder Mike Trout testified this week that he confronted former team staffer Eric Kay about suspected drug use years before the 2019 death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs, offering emotional testimony in the wrongful-death civil trial brought by Skaggs’ family against the Angels organization.
Trout, a three-time American League MVP and one of baseball’s most respected figures, took the witness stand in the Texas courtroom on Tuesday. He recounted an encounter with Kay, then an Angels communications employee, during the 2018 season after hearing concerns about the staffer’s behavior.
“I remember talking to him,” Trout said. “I told him, ‘You’ve got two boys at home. You’ve got to get this right.’ I offered to help if he needed anything.”
According to Trout, he confronted Kay because he was worried about his wellbeing but did not witness any direct evidence of drug use by Kay or by Skaggs at the time. His testimony, however, marked one of the most high-profile acknowledgments that concerns about Kay’s conduct existed inside the Angels organization before Skaggs’ death.
The wrongful-death lawsuit, filed by Skaggs’ widow and family, accuses the Angels of negligence for allowing Kay to remain employed and to travel with the team despite what they allege were known substance-related issues. The suit seeks roughly $118 million in damages, claiming the organization failed to protect Skaggs and ignored warning signs that might have prevented his death.
Skaggs was found dead in a Texas hotel room on July 1, 2019, while the Angels were on a road trip. An autopsy later revealed that he died of asphyxia after choking on his vomit, with alcohol, oxycodone, and fentanyl present in his system. The coroner ruled the death an accident.
Eric Kay was convicted in 2022 of distributing counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to Skaggs and was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison. The family’s civil case now centers on whether the Angels themselves bear responsibility for allowing Kay to remain in a position where he could provide drugs to players.
Trout grew emotional during parts of his testimony, describing Skaggs as a close friend and teammate. “Tyler was a great guy. I miss him every day,” Trout said. He also stated that, despite the later revelations about drugs, he had no reason at the time to believe Skaggs was using opioids.
Other witnesses have offered differing accounts of how much the organization knew about Kay’s activities. Former team staffers have testified that rumors circulated about his struggles with painkillers, while others denied any awareness of misconduct.
The trial continues this week as jurors hear from additional former players and employees. The outcome could have lasting implications for how Major League Baseball clubs handle internal concerns about substance abuse and player safety.
For Trout, his testimony reflected both his grief for a lost teammate and his desire to show that he tried to intervene when he sensed trouble a moment that has now become a key part of a painful chapter in Angels history.
