Angels VP Says MLB Helped Treat Eric Kay; League Denies

The latest court testimony about the tragic death of Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs has stirred up tough questions about the team’s handling of internal drug problems. It’s also put Major League Baseball’s oversight policies under a harsh spotlight.

Angels Vice President of Human Resources Deborah Johnston admitted the organization worked with MLB regarding former communications director Eric Kay’s drug addiction years before Skaggs’ fatal overdose. That runs counter to earlier claims suggesting the league didn’t know about Kay’s substance abuse issues.

Her comments cast doubt on MLB’s previous statements and highlight inconsistencies in how the Angels have dealt with drug-related problems inside their own walls.

MLB’s Alleged Knowledge of Eric Kay’s Addiction

Johnston testified that Kay underwent drug testing under MLB’s policy, which implies the league knew about his addiction. She said this testing meant the league’s Drug Policy Oversight Committee got involved.

But she couldn’t produce any paperwork to back up how much MLB actually knew or did. MLB, for its part, keeps denying any awareness of Kay’s drug issues, setting up a pretty sharp contradiction.

Contradictions With Previous Witnesses

Other witnesses, including team officials and league reps, have said they didn’t know about Kay’s substance abuse. This split matters because it points to possible breakdowns in communication within the league’s governance.

It really makes you wonder about MLB’s ability to enforce its own drug policies. Are there gaps nobody wants to admit?

Skaggs’ Family Challenges the Angels’ Actions

Lawyers for Skaggs’ family have argued that the Angels broke MLB policy by not properly reporting Kay’s drug use. The policy is supposed to make sure substance abuse gets addressed quickly and consistently.

Johnston said Kay didn’t face serious punishment, except for a different policy violation, even though there was recorded evidence of him trying to get drugs.

Uneven Treatment of Employees

Johnston admitted that lower-level employees faced tougher penalties for lesser violations. Meanwhile, Kay, who held a senior role, avoided those same consequences despite clear signs of ongoing drug use.

This difference in treatment suggests there might be double standards at play in the organization’s discipline.

Email Evidence and Monitoring Restrictions

The testimony also covered email exchanges where Kay tried to get drugs using his work account. Johnston said she wouldn’t have recognized the coded language in those emails.

She also mentioned legal concerns about monitoring him because of protections tied to his disability status. That brings up a tricky question: where do you draw the line between privacy rights and keeping people safe at work?

Return From Rehab Without Full Clearance

Just weeks before Skaggs’ death in July 2019, Kay came back from rehab. Johnston admitted his doctor’s note didn’t clearly say he was fit for work.

Still, she decided it was good enough and let him resume his duties. Looking back, that decision is getting a lot of scrutiny, especially when it comes to reading medical documentation in sensitive cases.

Deflecting Responsibility

When explaining why the team didn’t fire Kay, Johnston repeatedly pointed to his protected medical status. Sometimes, she even hinted that Skaggs himself shared some of the blame for the team’s drug problems.

That kind of reasoning might work in court, but it hasn’t done much to convince the public. Most people see it as the organization’s leadership dodging responsibility.

Implications for MLB Policy Enforcement

The contradictions in Johnston’s testimony put MLB’s oversight under a microscope. People are left wondering if the league really enforces substance abuse policies the same way for everyone.

If Johnston’s claims hold up, it’d mean the league missed chances to step in much earlier—maybe even before tragedy struck the Angels in 2019.

Key Takeaways

This testimony points to several critical issues in the ongoing legal and ethical mess:

• Potential MLB awareness of Eric Kay’s substance abuse long before Skaggs’ death, even though they denied it publicly.
• Uneven discipline inside the Angels organization, where higher-ups seemed to get lighter treatment than lower-level staff.
• Legal and policy gaps when it comes to dealing with drug problems under disability protections.
• Questionable medical clearance steps for employees coming back from rehab.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Angels VP testifies MLB was involved in treating Eric Kay addiction; league denies knowledge