Ex-wife of Angels employee is expected to testify in trial over pitcher's drug overdose death

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SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The ex-wife of a Los Angeles Angels employee is expected to testify in a trial over whether the MLB team should be held responsible for the drug overdose death of one of its star pitchers.

Camela Kay is expected to take the stand Monday to speak about her ex-husband, Angels' communication director Eric Kay, who was convicted of providing a fentanyl-laced pill that led to the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs. He was later sentenced to 22 years in federal prison.

After Skaggs' death, Camela Kay filed for divorce, according to Orange County court records.

The testimony is expected in a civil trial for a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Skaggs' family contending the Angels should be held responsible for letting a drug-addicted and dealing employee stay on the job and access its players. The Angels say team officials did not know Skaggs was taking drugs and that any drug activity involving him and Kay happened on their own time and in the privacy of the player’s hotel room.

The trial comes more than six years after Skaggs, then 27, was found dead in the suburban Dallas hotel room where he was staying as the Angels were supposed to open a four-game series against the Texas Rangers. A coroner’s report said Skaggs choked to death on his vomit and a toxic mix of alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone was found in his system.

Eric Kay was convicted in 2022 of providing Skaggs with a counterfeit oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl. His federal criminal trial in Texas included testimony from five MLB players who said they received oxycodone from him at various times from 2017 to 2019, the years he was accused of obtaining pills and giving them to Angels players.

Skaggs had been a regular in the Angels’ starting rotation since late 2016 and struggled with injuries repeatedly during that time. He previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Skaggs' family is seeking $118 million in lost earnings, compensation for pain and suffering and punitive damages against the team.

After Skaggs’ death, the MLB reached a deal with the players association to start testing for opioids and to refer those who test positive to the treatment board.

The trial is expected to take weeks and has included testimony from Angels outfielder Mike Trout.