Angels Begin Defense in Skaggs Trial; Ex-Player Testifies on Drugs

This article digs into the latest twists in the Los Angeles Angels’ wrongful death civil trial over the passing of pitcher Tyler Skaggs. Explosive testimony from former Angels first baseman C.J. Cron, the club’s main defense angle, and the heated debate over Skaggs’ potential career earnings are all in the spotlight.

We’ll look at what Cron’s words mean for the case. There’s also the matter of how the Angels are framing Skaggs’ drug use, and why the lawsuit’s financial projections could swing the outcome in a big way.

C.J. Cron’s Testimony Reshapes the Narrative

When former Angels first baseman C.J. Cron took the stand, he didn’t just bring up a dark chapter in team history. He laid out names, dollar amounts, and the methods behind the Angels’ internal drug culture—a culture the defense claims Skaggs helped create.

Cron Details OxyContin Purchases from Eric Kay

Cron said he bought OxyContin pills from former Angels communications director Eric Kay about eight times. He learned about Kay’s access to painkillers from his teammate, Tyler Skaggs, who connected players to Kay if they wanted pills.

The deals, Cron explained, weren’t casual or random. He described paying Kay in cash for the pills and sometimes getting them in secret at or near the ballpark.

Skaggs sometimes acted as a go-between in these exchanges. Kay is now serving a 22-year federal sentence for supplying the fentanyl-laced pill that led to Skaggs’ death in 2019.

That criminal conviction hangs over this civil trial, but the Angels are using Cron’s testimony to push a different story about who’s really responsible.

Inside the Angels’ Defense Strategy

The wrongful death lawsuit from Skaggs’ family claims the Angels’ organization enabled a drug environment that contributed to his death. The club, though, is pointing the finger elsewhere.

Framing Skaggs as the Architect of His Own Demise

The Angels’ argument is blunt: Skaggs, they say, was a drug addict who set up and encouraged drug use among teammates and is responsible for his own fate.

By highlighting Cron’s testimony, the team wants to show that Skaggs wasn’t just a passive victim of a failed system. They claim he actively got pills and helped others do the same.

Defense attorneys are making the case that Skaggs knew exactly what he was taking, helped teammates get pills from Kay, and chose to mix drugs and alcohol the night he died.

They’re aiming to shift blame away from the franchise and paint Skaggs’ drug use as a long-term, personal choice—not an isolated, preventable tragedy caused by club negligence.

The Battle Over Skaggs’ Potential Earnings

There’s a lot of money at stake here, too. What Skaggs might have earned if he’d played out a full MLB career is a huge part of the damages calculation.

Defense Expert Lowers Skaggs’ Projected Career Value

The Angels brought in sports economist Dr. Daniel Rascher to challenge the family’s big financial claims. Rascher reworked earlier projections and landed on a number between $102.2 million and $114.7 million.

That’s much lower than what the plaintiffs estimate. By shrinking Skaggs’ projected career earnings, the defense hopes to cut down the potential damages and cast doubt on how long or how well Skaggs might have played.

These kinds of projections can swing a civil case by tens of millions of dollars, so Rascher’s testimony is a cornerstone for the Angels.

A Slow, Contentious Trial Process

The trial’s been moving slowly, shaped by arguments over evidence and the judge’s tight control over courtroom time.

Conflicts Over Evidence and Expert Scope

Lawyers on both sides keep battling over what the jury gets to see and hear. They’ve clashed on things like access to and interpretation of Skaggs’ cell phone data, and the limits of expert testimony, especially around toxicology and economics.

Objections and subpoenas keep flying as each side tries to steer the story. The judge has worked to keep things balanced, making sure both parties get equal time with witnesses and that the trial doesn’t spiral into a mess of speculation.

Key Witnesses Still to Come

Cron’s testimony made waves, but the defense isn’t done. The Angels plan to call more witnesses who could shape how the jury sees Skaggs’ lifestyle and what led to his death.

Focus on Drugs, Alcohol, and Contributing Factors

Among the expected witnesses for the Angels are:

The defense wants to highlight how alcohol and oxycodone, along with fentanyl, all played a role in Skaggs’ death.

They’re hoping that by showing multiple contributing factors, the jury won’t see this as just a case of organizational negligence.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Angels begin defense in Skaggs trial; jury hears testimony from ex-player about drug use