Report: Angels could be fined up to $2 million for not reporting Tyler Skaggs’ opioid use

The Los Angeles Angels could be fined up to $2 million by the commissioner for not reporting Tyler Skaggs’ opioid use.

A report published by ESPN on Saturday stated that Angels communications director Eric Kay admitted to federal investigators that he used and supplied Skaggs with drugs since at least 2017. Kay told federal investigators that at least two other Angels employees knew of Skaggs’ drug use.

According to ESPN, Kay said that ex-vice president of communications Tim Mead, who took a job with the Baseball Hall of Fame in June, knew of Skaggs’ drug use. The Los Angeles Times also reported that Tom Taylor, the team’s traveling secretary, knew of Skaggs’ drug use, according to Kay.

Team officials are supposed to report to the commissioner’s office any knowledge of players using drugs. The commissioner could fine the team $2 million for a failure to report and could ban any employee from MLB for life. According to ESPN, the extent of any punishment could depend on how high level of a team official knew about Skaggs’ use and did not report it.

In a statement issued Saturday, the Angels denied any knowledge of Skaggs’ drug use.