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The family of late former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs has filed multiple lawsuits against the MLB franchise and two former employees.
The Associated Press reports Skaggs' parents in Texas and his wife in California are accusing the Angels organizations, as well as former communications directors Tim Mead and Eric Kay, of negligence in relation to the 2019 drug-related death of the 27-year-old pitcher.
Neither complaint specified how much money Skaggs' parents or widow are seeking, according to the AP.
The Angels organization released a statement in response to the lawsuits on Tuesday (June 29) denying any knowledge of Skaggs' opioid use prior to his death, "nor was anyone in management aware or informed of any employee providing opioids to any player."
"The Angels Organization strongly disagrees with the claims made by the Skaggs family, and we will vigorously defend these lawsuits in court,” the statement read.
Skaggs was found dead in a suburban Dallas hotel room on July 1, 2019, which was the same day of the Angels' opening game of a four-game series against the Texas Rangers.
Kay was indicted by a federal grand jury in October on charges accusing him of providing the 27-year-old pitcher with drugs prior to his overdose death.
Kay was charged with drug distribution and drug conspiracy in relation to Skaggs' death, according to an indictment in Fort Worth, Texas, and faces charges that could carry a maximum life sentence and 20 years in prison, respectively.
Kay has pleaded not guilty and is set to appear in court in mid-August, according to the AP.
A coroner's report claimed Skaggs choked to death on his vomit with a toxic mix of alcohol and the drugs fentanyl and oxycodone in his system, which Kay is accused of providing to the late pitcher.
Kay, who served as the Angels' director of communications, as well as the team's public relations contact on many road trips, was placed on leave shortly after Skaggs' death and was never reinstated by the organization.
Mead, who was Kay's boss, is accused in the lawsuits of knowing that Kay had his own issues with drug addiction, which included distributing drugs to players.
“Despite this knowledge, the Angels continued to allow Kay to have unrestricted access to the players and even permitted him to accompany the team when it traveled for away games,” the suit says via the AP.
Mead has previously stated publicly that he was unaware of Skaggs using opioids prior to his overdose death.
Angels team officials also claim they were unaware of the pitcher's opioid use prior to his passing or that any employees were providing drugs to players.