Emotional Trout says he saw no sign of Skaggs' drug use - ESPN

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout testified Tuesday that he loved his teammate Tyler Skaggs like a brother and never saw signs of drug use before Skaggs died of an overdose on a team trip to Texas in 2019.

Trout, a three-time American League Most Valuable Player who hit his 400th career home run this year, took the stand in a civil trial in Southern California over whether the MLB team should be held responsible for its communication director Eric Kay giving Skaggs a fentanyl-laced pill that led to his death.

Trout, who acknowledged he didn't like speaking in public, told the courtroom about his friendship with Skaggs from the time they roomed together as rookies in Iowa and through playing for the Angels. Both were drafted out of high school as teens in 2009 — Trout from New Jersey and Skaggs from California.

Skaggs was «very funny, outgoing, fun to be around» and toted around a boom box as the team's DJ, Trout said.

Trout also said Kay was good at his job, getting players to give interviews and guiding them on which questions they might be asked. At one point, however, Trout said a clubhouse attendant suggested the players should stop paying Kay for stunts he was pulling like taking a fastball to the leg, shaving off his eyebrows and eating a pimple off Trout's back due to concerns the money might be used for a «bad purpose.»

Trout said that he had seen Kay acting wired and sweating and that «the first thing that came to mind was drugs.»

He said it was clear Kay was «using something.»

«I just didn't know what it was,» Trout told the court, adding he approached Kay and told him if he needed anything to let him know.

The testimony came at the trial for a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Skaggs'