**Published Oct 15, 2025 • 3-minute read**
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Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs (45) reacts during a game in 2019. Sun files
SANTA ANA, Calif. — A former official with the Los Angeles Angels testified on Wednesday that a team employee, who was convicted of supplying drugs that contributed to the death of one of the team’s star pitchers, was competent in his role but struggled with behavioral issues and was using prescription medication to manage depression and bipolar disorder.
Tim Mead was the first witness to take the stand in the long-anticipated civil trial regarding a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of the late pitcher Tyler Skaggs. Mead, who previously oversaw the Angels’ communications, left the organization just weeks before Skaggs’ overdose death in 2019 to become president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
The family argues that the team should be held accountable for Skaggs’ death, as Eric Kay, the communication director, was convicted of providing the fentanyl-laced pill that resulted in Skaggs’ fatal overdose during a team trip to Texas in 2019.
During his testimony in Santa Ana, Mead, who was Kay’s supervisor, acknowledged that he was aware of Kay’s medication use and that he sometimes had difficult days due to his mental health challenges. Mead described Kay as a good employee 95% of the time, although he occasionally exhibited questionable behavior, such as yelling at an intern, having an affair, and accepting money from players for stunts like getting hit by a fast pitch.
“He was a good worker and a strong performer. I noticed he would bounce back after what I would call an off day,” said Mead, who is now an adjunct professor. “I trusted him to manage his condition.”
Mead expressed his belief that Kay was mismanaging his medication, noting that Kay had mentioned he sometimes skipped doses, but he had never heard of him using illegal drugs. When a lawyer for Skaggs’ family inquired why Mead did not report Kay’s issues to the team, Mead explained that Kay was involved in an employee assistance program, which he viewed as part of the organization.
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In April 2019, Mead stated…