Federal prosecutors plan to present testimony from “approximately” five Major League Baseball players who allege they received oxycodone from a former Angels employee who faces trial in the fatal overdose of pitcher Tyler Skaggs, according to a court filing late Friday.
The filing, which outlines some of the evidence prosecutors will introduce at the trial, accuses former Angels communications director Eric Kay of being the “singular source” who supplied oxycodone to the players in amounts of “two to three pills while others would ask for up to 20 pills.”
“The evidence will also demonstrate that Kay often coordinated the distribution through text messages or through conversations involving the victim [Skaggs],” the filing said. “This witness testimony will in many instances be corroborated by text message communications…. Evidence will also demonstrate that Kay was motivated to obtain these pills because Kay could himself use some of the pills that he obtained for the players. It therefore provides context and background to the distribution at issue in the indictment.”
Though the document says Kay was providing “controlled substances, including oxycodone,” to Angels players since 2017, it does not name them or say whether the five who are prepared to testify play for the Angels. Kay offered Angels memorabilia and game tickets while soliciting drugs online and overdosed at the stadium about three months before Skaggs’ death, the filing says.
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