Emotional Trout says he saw no sign of Skaggs' drug use

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout testified Tuesday that he loved his teammate Tyler Skaggs like a brother and never saw signs of drug use before Skaggs died of an overdose on a team trip to Texas in 2019.

Trout, a three-time American League Most Valuable Player who hit his 400th career home run this year, took the stand in a civil trial in Southern California over whether the MLB team should be held responsible for Eric Kay, its communications director at the time, giving Skaggs a fentanyl-laced pill that led to his death.

Trout, who acknowledged that he didn't like speaking in public, told the courtroom about his friendship with Skaggs from the time they roomed together as rookies in Iowa and through playing for the Angels. Both were drafted out of high