Mourning Angels return to field after Skaggs’ death

With the memory of Tyler Skaggs weighing heavy on their hearts, the Los Angeles Angels took the field for their first game since the death of the muchloved 27-year-old pitcher who got to play for his favorite childhood team.

“He was an exceptional young man with an entire life so full of promise yet to live. For some reason, that is incomprehensible to all of us, he lives on now only in our minds and our hearts,” general manager Billy Eppler said before Tuesday night’s game. “Our team will never be the same without him. But forever we’ve been made better by him.”

The Angels decided to play a day after the postponement of the series opener against the Rangers. Skaggs was found unresponsive in his hotel room in Texas on Monday. A Angel Lozano looks over a memorial for Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs outside Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., on Tuesday. The 27-year-old Skaggs died in his Texas hotel room, where he was found unresponsive Monday afternoon. cause of death has not been reported.

“The first game back, whether today or tomorrow was going to be one of the toughest other than yesterday,” manager Brad Ausmus said.

“The game itself is going to be a refuge for players, where they can turn their minds off and concentrate on baseball,” he added. “I don’t know that sitting in a hotel room would do them any good.”

There was a moment of silence before the game, with the Angels lined up outside the dugout when Skaggs was recognized. The pitcher’s No. 45 was painted on the back of the mound and was also posted on the scoreboards.

Before Angels starter Jose Suarez threw his first pitch in the bottom of the first inning, the left-hander appeared to write something in the dirt with his finger on the back of the mound. He then touched the No. 45 and followed that by tapping his heart.

Public address announcer Chuck Morgan introduced the moment of silence by saying the Rangers offered their deepest sympathies and condolences to Skaggs’ family, his teammates and the entire Angels organization.

The introductions of the starting lineups by Morgan before that were uncharacteristically subdued, and the Rangers ran to their positions for the start of the game quietly without any music playing in the stadium.

When Rangers batters were introduced, there was no walk-up music played.

Eppler said he spoke to several players about whether to play or not.

“It felt it’s what Tyler would want, and also allow them to get back in a routine, and to have a period of time where they feel disconnected,” the GM said. “A lot of problems go away when the first pitch is thrown until the last pitch is thrown.”

While Angels players weren’t made available to the media, they sat in the room when Eppler and Ausmus addressed the pitcher’s death along with team owner Arte Moreno and Angels president John Carpino.

METS 4, YANKEES 2:

Michael Conforto busted out of his slump in a big way, hitting a two-run double that snapped an eighth-inning tie and lifted the Mets over the Yankees.

PHILLIES 2, BRAVES 0:

Aaron Nola pitched eight innings, Jay Bruce hit a two-run double and Philadelphia spoiled Dallas Keuchel’s home debut with Atlanta.