Trout says he saw no sign of Skaggs' drug use

"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."

"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 he had seen Kay acting wired and sweating and "the first thing that came to mind was drugs.""

Mike Trout said he loved teammate Tyler Skaggs like a brother and never observed signs of drug use before Skaggs died of an overdose on a 2019 team trip to Texas. Trout described their friendship from rooming together as rookies and from playing for the Angels, and called Skaggs very funny and outgoing. Trout said communication director Eric Kay handled player interviews and media guidance but that teammates and a clubhouse attendant raised concerns about Kay's stunts and possible misuse of money. Trout said he saw Kay acting wired and sweating, believed Kay was using something, and offered help. The testimony came during a wrongful-death trial alleging Kay gave Skaggs a fentanyl-laced pill.

Read at ESPN.com