Tyler Skaggs' widow testifies that she wasn't aware of his illicit drug use, but now understands why he did it

"Carli Skaggs fought back tears as she echoed testimony from one of her husband's former teammates about how the pressure of playing major league baseball has led players to turn to illicit opioids. I understand it, I'm not saying something is right or wrong, Carli said. I feel sad that that is what they felt like they needed to do. That they trusted each other to get clean pills."

"During her earlier testimony in the plaintiff phase of the civil wrongful death trial, Carli denied knowing that he had a drug problem prior to his 2019 death in a Texas hotel room. She has testified to learning at one point that Skaggs had issues with Percocet while playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2013, prior to their relationship beginning. But Carli has continually testified that she was unaware that her husband was using opioids while playing for the Angels."

"Attorneys for the Angels, armed with numerous text messages from Skaggs that included drug references, challenged Carli about her claims to have been unaware of her husband's ongoing opioid use. I have a drug test today Tyler texted Carli in December 2014. You do? (expletive). Why? Carli texted back, adding You're straight right? In her testimony, Carli said she was worried that her husband was going to test positive for marijuana. In the text exchange, Tyler later wrote lol they only test for steroids."

Carli Skaggs testified in the wrongful death trial that she denied knowing about Tyler Skaggs's opioid use leading up to his 2019 death. She acknowledged learning that Skaggs had prior issues with Percocet in 2013 but maintained she was unaware of opioid use while he played for the Angels. She expressed compassion and said she understands why players turned to pills under the pressure of major league baseball. She testified that players trusted each other to obtain clean pills and that communications staffer Eric Kay obtained pills from dealers found online. Defense attorneys used text messages referencing drugs to challenge her claims of ignorance.

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