Angels pitcher Skaggs dies in Texas aged 27

LOS Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs has died before a scheduled Monday game against the Texas Rangers that was subsequently postponed, the Major League Baseball clubs announced.

The 27-year-old left-hander from Los Angeles was found dead in a Texas hotel room.

No cause of death was immediately known.

Pol ic e a r e i nve s t i g at i ng a f t er d i s c over i ng Sk a g g s’ body but t hey s a id t here was no sign of foul play.

“It i s w it h g reat s or row t hat we repor t Tyler Skaggs passed away earlier today in Texas,” t he A ngels sa id i n a statement.

“Tyler has, and a lways will be, an important part of the Angels family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Ca rl i a nd his ent i re fa mily d u r i n g t h i s d e v a s t a t i n g time.”

Skaggs, who would have turned 28 on July 13, last pitched on Saturday in Anaheim. He started and allowed two runs over 4 1/3 innings against Oakland and in 15 starts this season was 7-7 with a 4.29 earned-run average and 7 8 s t r i k e out s i n 7 9 2 / 3 innings.

“I am deeply saddened by today’s tragedy in Texas,” Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said. “All of us at Major League Baseball extended our deepest condolences to Tyler’s wife Carli, their family, their friends and all of his Angels teammates and colleagues.

“We will support the Angels organization through this most difficult period and we will make a variety of resources available to Tyler’s teammates and other members of the baseball family.”

The Rangers e x pre s s e d “deepest sympathies” for the “shocking loss” in announcing the postponement of the s c h e d u l e s e r i e s o p e n e r between the clubs at Arlington, Texas.

Skaggs, who was scheduled to pitch in Thursday’s final game of the series with Texas, had a 28-38 career record with a 4.41 earned-run average and 476 strikeouts over parts of major league seven seasons with the Angels and Arizona Diamondbacks.

His death comes 10 years after Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a car crash.