Angels Face Court Date in Tyler Skaggs Wrongful Death Case

Maren Angus-Coombs | Dec 8, 2024

Jul 17, 2019; Anaheim, CA, USA; Detailed view of a memorial for Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs on the outfield wall at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels are scheduled to face a high-profile civil trial in four months, despite efforts to delay the proceedings further.

The lawsuit, filed by the family of late pitcher Tyler Skaggs, has been ongoing for more than three years and could involve key figures from the team, including superstar Mike Trout and owner Arte Moreno, who may be called as witnesses.

More News: Tyler Skaggs' Legacy Lives On in New MLB Opioid Initiative

The legal battle between Skaggs' family and the Angels has been contentious, with the family accusing the team of wrongdoing. The family argues that the franchise is intentionally attempting to drag out the case in hopes of preventing it from being litigated in court, seeking to delay justice for as long as possible.

With the trial now scheduled to move forward, the case is set to bring renewed attention to the circumstances surrounding Skaggs' tragic death and the involvement of prominent figures from the Angels organization.

An Orange County Superior Court judge has rejected the Angels’ request to delay the trial set for April 7 by at least seven months. Judge H. Shaina Colover ruled earlier this week that “no good cause exists” for further postponement.

The lawsuit, filed over three and a half years ago, is set to move forward with a status hearing scheduled for Jan. 10. Then, both sides will meet with the judge.

While a settlement is still possible before the trial begins, there has been no indication of progress toward a resolution. Skaggs’ attorney, Rusty Hardin, revealed earlier this year that the family is seeking $100 million in damages from the Angels.

“The Angels Organization has stated from the beginning that prior to Tyler’s tragic death, no one in management was aware, or informed, of any employee providing opioids to any player, nor that Tyler was using opioids,” the Angels said in a statement when The Athletic asked for comment this week.

In late November, the Angels requested a seven-month delay for the trial, arguing that holding it during the baseball season could create scheduling conflicts and potentially prejudice witnesses. The team suggested that rescheduling the trial for after the season would help avoid these issues.

In response, the Skaggs family pointed out that the Angels had already agreed to the current trial date of April 7, which falls within the first month of the season. They also highlighted that the original trial date, Oct. 25, 2024, would have coincided with the MLB postseason, suggesting the team’s scheduling concerns were inconsistent.

“Without any explanation, the Angels seek to delay trial to avoid the entire 2025 baseball season, vaguely alleging some sort of prejudice to unidentified witnesses,” the Skaggs family wrote in their response brief. “Their request for a seven-month continuance is based upon nothing more than their convenience and their predictable desire for delay.”