SANTA ANA, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels reached a last-minute confidential settlement Friday with the family of late pitcher Tyler Skaggs, concluding a years-long legal battle over liability in his 2019 death. The agreement came after more than two days of jury deliberations that hinted at a potential verdict favoring the Skaggs family, who had sought $118 million in lost earnings and additional damages.
In a statement, the Skaggs family said the settlement “brings to a close a difficult six-year process” and expressed gratitude for the jury’s attention, noting their hope that MLB holds the Angels accountable.
Skaggs died in 2019 after Angels employee Eric Kay provided him a fentanyl-laced pill. Kay is currently serving a 22-year federal prison sentence. Jurors were instructed that Skaggs would not have died had Kay not supplied the pill.
The Angels responded with a statement emphasizing the tragedy of Skaggs’ death and the dangers of opioids.
Throughout the trial, plaintiffs argued the Angels ignored red flags and failed to enforce rules that might have prevented Kay from distributing drugs. Defense attorneys maintained Kay acted independently and the organization was unaware of his illicit activities.
Settlement negotiations intensified this week as the jury asked questions regarding expert testimony on potential lost wages — which ranged from $21 million to nearly $125 million — and whether punitive damages could be awarded. Jurors heard testimony from 44 witnesses, reviewed over 300 exhibits, and deliberated across 31 days of proceedings.
Several jurors later told ESPN they were nearing a verdict that included $70–$90 million in non-punitive damages, with tentative consideration of $10 million in punitive damages. They also suggested shared responsibility among Skaggs, Kay, and the Angels, which likely would have reduced the final payout under comparative negligence.
Ultimately, the jury did not reach a final verdict before the settlement was reached, and no percentages of liability were assigned.
The case has renewed scrutiny over opioid use in professional sports, player safety, and organizational responsibility.
