Trout Testifies in $118M Skaggs Wrongful-Death Trial

Mike Trout testified tearfully in the Santa Ana wrongful-death trial, saying he loved Tyler Skaggs 'like a brother' and recounting the last time he saw the pitcher before Skaggs' fatal 2019 overdose. Trout told jurors he had not seen Skaggs use drugs beyond marijuana and alcohol, described confronting former Angels communications director Eric Kay after being warned Kay was using drugs, and said he even offered to pay for Kay’s rehab. He also recounted that players had paid Kay for humiliating stunts until a clubhouse attendant warned the cash might be fueling a habit. The Skaggs family is seeking $118 million, alleging the Angels knew or should have known about Kay’s drug history and failed to intervene, while the team argues Skaggs’ private choices led to his death. Kay was convicted of providing a fentanyl-laced oxycodone pill and is serving a 22-year federal sentence, and the multiweek civil trial will include additional player testimony as the jury weighs organizational liability.