ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - The Latest on the coroner’s report involving the death of Los Angeles Angles pitcher Tyler Skaggs (all times local):
6:05 p.m. PT
Los Angeles Angels manager Brad Ausmus says a coroner’s report that pitcher Tyler Skaggs died of an accidental drug overdose “doesn’t change” that “we lost a friend, a teammate and we still miss him.”
A Texas coroner said in a report made public Friday that Skaggs died after choking on his vomit with a toxic mix of alcohol and the powerful painkillers fentanyl and oxycodone in his system.
Skaggs missed the 2015 season recovering from reconstructive surgery on his left elbow. He also spent significant time on the injured list each of the past two seasons because of muscle strains.
Ausmus says Skaggs hadn’t been complaining of any physical pain before he died, but said he “would be the last guy he would come to because he wants to stay in the rotation.”
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5:30 p.m.
Los Angeles Angels general manager Billy Eppler says reports that pitcher Tyler Skaggs died of an accidental drug overdose in Texas was like “a shot to our core” that “brings back a lot of pain for that tragic day.”
Eppler wouldn’t comment on a statement from the Skaggs family that said it was “shocked” to learn that a club employee may be involved in the investigation into the circumstances around the 27-year-old’s death.
Eppler says the club is cooperating in the investigation by police in the Dallas suburb of Southlake. He was speaking before the team’s game in Anaheim against Boston.
A Texas coroner said in a report made public Friday that Skaggs died after choking on his vomit with a toxic mix of alcohol and the powerful painkillers fentanyl and oxycodone in his system.
Skaggs was found dead in his hotel room in Southlake on July 1 before the start of what was supposed to be a four-game series against the Texas Rangers. The first game was postponed.
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2:20 p.m.
The family of late Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs has suggested a team employee was being investigated by police in Texas over the 27-year-old pitcher’s death in an accidental overdose.
A statement from the family thanked police in the Dallas suburb of Southlake for the investigation and said they “were shocked to learn that it may involve an employee of the Los Angeles Angels.”
The family released the statement after the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office made public its report of Skaggs’ death. The coroner’s office said Skaggs died from a mix of the powerful painkillers fentanyl and oxycodone along with alcohol.
Skaggs’ family said such drug use was “completely out of character for someone who worked so hard to become a Major League Baseball player.” The family said it had hired Texas attorney Rusty Hardin to find out how Skaggs ended up with the drugs.
Southlake police said the investigation was ongoing and wouldn’t release additional information. The Angels said the club was cooperating with the investigation.
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1 p.m.
A medical examiner in Texas has ruled that Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died from an accidental overdose of drugs and alcohol.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a report released Friday that Skaggs had the powerful painkillers fentanyl and oxycodone in his system along with alcohol.
The 27-year-old Skaggs was found dead in his hotel room in the Dallas area July 1 before the start of what was supposed to be a four-game series against the Texas Rangers. The first game was postponed.
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