An Angel enters Heaven

Tyler Skaggs was passionate about a lot of things. And he really loved pitching in Southern California.

Skaggs pitched for the Angels but didn’t have the typical homegrown-player tale. The tattoos etched along his right arm included “Santa Monica,” where he grew up on the softball fields; his mother, Debbie, coached at Santa Monica High school.

 In cursive on his right triceps were the words “City of Angels.” On his right biceps was an unmistakable “LA” logo.

Growing up, he had visions of wearing blue and pitching at Dodger Stadium. He once was a 17-year-old with a loopy curveball, who grew up with a radio soundtrack provided by K-EARTH 101.1 and Power 106 on the radio, as well as Vin Scully’s Dodger broadcasts. He blossomed as a prospect, a tall lefty with an old-school desire to pitch deep into games and the aptitude to adopt new-school methods. He felt snubbed when the Dodgers didn’t take him with the 36th overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft.

Four picks later, he was an Angel. It was something he grew to love, particularly after getting traded to Arizona in 2010 and back to Anaheim three years later. After struggling through Tommy John surgery and then pitching through injury last year, he was optimistic. He had a date circled on his calendar, a start he planned to petition manager Brad Ausmus to make. He wanted to pitch at Dodger Stadium this month.
Skaggs had been there before, when he allowed one run over five innings as a rookie with Arizona. But he wanted to go back. He wanted to be at Dodger Stadium in an Angels uniform, pitching in the city he loved while wearing the jersey he loved.
“There’s definitely a big grudge there,” he said just yesterday, sounding determined.
Tragically, he won’t get the chance. Skaggs died in his Texas hotel room, at age 27,  hours before the Angels were scheduled to face the Rangers on Monday.

The Southlake Police Department said Skaggs was found unresponsive in his hotel room and that no foul play was indicated. Suicide is “not suspected,” an SPD spokesperson said, and an investigation will take place. Monday’s Angels-Rangers game was canceled, and the Angels had already left Globe Life Park in Arlington when the announcement was made.
There will be no joy in playing games without him in the coming days.
“It is with great sorrow that we report Tyler Skaggs passed away earlier today in Texas,” the Angels said in a statement.

“Tyler has, and always will be, an important part of the Angels Family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carli and his entire family during this devastating time.”
The news is shocking, staggering. Skaggs was 12 days from his 28th birthday, recently married — “It was amazing,” a glowing Skaggs said this spring — and optimistic he could channel that first-round talent and steward the Angels staff back to the postseason.
This is an organization that has already dealt with too much loss. Outfielder Lyman Bostock died in 1978, also at age 27, shot and killed while sitting in a car in Gary, Ind., during the team’s road trip to Chicago. Luis Valbuena died last December in a car crash after playing in a winter league game in his native Venezuela; he was 33. In April 2009, the Angels lost right-hander Nick Adenhart in a car crash hours after his best big-league start. That summer, Tyler Skaggs was the first pitcher the Angels drafted.
Skaggs was stubborn, even through his final start on Saturday against Oakland, when he was miffed and protested being pulled in the fifth inning after allowing two runs on two hits, four walks and striking out five. He was straightforward and honest, as always. He thought he should be better, thought he was just getting to turn things around. That was Tyler.