Former employee of Angels indicted in death of Skaggs

A federal grand jury indicted former Los Angeles Angels communications director Eric Kay on Thursday on charges related to pitcher Tyler Skaggs’ 2019 death.

Kay, who told federal agents he provided drugs to Skaggs, is charged with distributing a controlled substance that resulted in Skaggs’ death and for possessing with the intent to distribute the opioid fentanyl.

Skaggs was found dead July 1, 2019, after asphyxiating on his vomit, and an autopsy found oxycodone, ethanol and fentanyl in the pitcher’s system. Skaggs was 27.

Law enforcement officials said they believe Skaggs snorted oxycodone and likely was unaware it contained the fentanyl, a powerful and deadly drug sometimes added to other drugs to make the effects more potent.

Kay told U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents last year he had given Skaggs several oxycodone pills before the team left for a series in Texas, where Skaggs died, and that the two had an ongoing arrangement by which Skaggs paid for their drugs and Kay obtained them from dealers.

■ Marlins: Don Mattingly was named National League manager of the year in a Sporting News vote of the 15 NL managers.

Mattingly, 59, is the third Miami manager recognized by the Sporting News, joining Fredi Gonzalez (2008) and Joe Girardi (2006).

Miami went 31-29 in 2020, the team’s first winning season since 2009, and reached the postseason for the first time since 2003 — sweeping the Chicago Cubs in the wild-card round.

Eighteen players were sidelined in a COVID-19 outbreak in the season’s first week. The Marlins made 174 roster moves and used 61 players.

Miami endured back-to-back last-place finishes in 2018 and 2019, going 57-105 last season.