Medical Examiner: Tyler Skaggs' Autopsy to be Completed in October
Late Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs's cause of death remains unknown one day after he died in Texas.
The Terrant County (Texas) Medical Examiner told reporters it would begin an autopsy on Tuesday and estimates it will be completed on Oct. 2. The medical examiner will withhold any autopsy information until then per the family's request, according to USA Today's Gabe Lacques.
Skaggs was found dead in his hotel room on Monday afternoon, just hours before the Angels were set to face the Rangers. The Southlake Police Department said officers responded to a call of an unconscious man in a hotel room at 2:18 p.m. Skaggs was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at the scene. The police department said no foul play is suspected and the investigation is ongoing.
"Tyler has, and always will be, an important part of the Angels Family," the Angels wrote in a statement. "Out thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carli and his entire family during this devastating time."
Monday's game between the Angels and Rangers was canceled in response. The teams announced that Tuesday night's game will be played at 8:05 p.m. ET as scheduled and there will be a pregame moment of silence for Skaggs.
Skaggs last started Saturday in the Angels' 4–0 loss to the Athletics. He gave up just two hits and two runs, but walked four and couldn't get through five innings. The southpaw had a 4.29 ERA and was 7–7 with 78 strikeouts in 15 starts this season.
The Angels selected Skaggs with the 40th pick in the first round of the 2009 MLB draft. He was traded to the Diamondbacks in 2010 and made his major league debut in 2012 before being sent back to the Angels after the 2013 season. He went 28-38 with a 4.41 ERA in seven seasons in the league.
Many members of the baseball community paid tribue to Skaggs online, including several of his Angels teammates and Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who played for the Marlins when Jose Fernandez passed away.