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MLB notebook: Coroner rules Skaggs died of accidental OD

[August 31, 2019] Los Angeles Angels left-hander Tyler Skaggs died from an accidental overdose of drugs and alcohol, the Tarrant County (Texas) Medical Examiner's Office said in a report released Friday.

According to the examiner's report, the painkillers fentanyl and oxycodone, as well as alcohol, were in Skaggs' system when he was found dead in his hotel room in Southlake, Texas, on July 1 prior to the Angels' series against the Rangers.

Per the report, Skaggs died by choking on his vomit without signs of trauma. He was 27.

Skaggs' family released a statement Friday, and in it claimed that an employee of the Angels may have been involved in "the circumstances surrounding (Skaggs') death."

--The Kansas City Royals reached an agreement to sell ownership to a group led by local businessman John Sherman, the club's current owners announced. Royals owner and CEO David Glass and his family had been in negotiations to sell for a reported price tag of about $1 billion.

Glass, who turns 84 on Monday, bought the team for $96 million in April 2000. He had served the previous 6 1/2 years as CEO and chairman of the team following the death of founding owner Ewing Kauffman, for whom the Royals' home stadium is still named. Glass's son, Dan, is the Royals' president.

Sherman, 64, has been a part-owner and vice chairman of the Cleveland Indians since 2016 and will divest himself of that team. He is the CEO of Kansas City-based MLP Holdings and is on the board of trustees for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

--Chicago White Sox outfielder Jon Jay was placed on the 10-day injured list and is expected to undergo season-ending hip surgery next week.

Jay, 34, initially sustained the hip strain in March and didn't make his season debut until June. He played in just 47 games and was hitting .267 with no home runs and just nine RBIs. He signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the White Sox last winter.

The White Sox recalled Ryan Cordell from Triple-A Charlotte to take Jay's spot on the roster.

--The Los Angeles Dodgers placed first baseman Max Muncy on the 10-day injured list with a fractured right wrist.

Muncy was hit by a pitch during Wednesday night's game against the San Diego Padres. Though initial X-rays were negative, a Friday MRI revealed the fracture.

Muncy is batting .253 with 33 home runs and 87 RBIs and 89 runs this season. The Dodgers activated Kristopher Negron from the 10-day IL to take Muncy's spot on the roster.

--Chicago Cubs veteran infielder/outfielder Ben Zobrist will be activated Sunday when rosters expand, manager Joe Maddon said.

Zobrist, 38, left the Cubs in May for personal reasons involving his family; he and his wife each filed for divorce. He did not do interviews while on a minor league assignment this month while on the restricted list.

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Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval (43) fields a ball hit by Chicago White Sox right fielder Jon Jay (45) during the second inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Zobrist, a three-time All-Star, is in his 14th major league season. He has appeared in 26 games with the Cubs this year, hitting .241 with 10 RBIs. He played in 12 minor league games, batting .189.

--The New York Yankees continued their injury list merry-go-round on, reinstating first baseman Luke Voit and sending third baseman Gio Urshela to the 10-day IL.

Voit hasn't played in the big leagues since July 30 because of a sports hernia but went 8-of-17 with two home runs and four RBIs in a four-game rehab assignment at Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Urshela came out of Wednesday night's victory over the Seattle Mariners with left groin tightness. He was replaced at third base by DJ LeMahieu, who could play there in Urshela's absence.

--The St. Louis Cardinals activated Tyler O'Neill from the 10-day injured list and placed his fellow outfielder Lane Thomas on the IL with a broken right wrist.

O'Neill played in six games during his rehabilitation stint with Triple-A Memphis and Double-A Springfield, batting 6-for-22 with a homer. The 24-year-old has been sidelined since Aug. 1 with a left wrist strain.

Thomas was hit by pitches in the right arm in consecutive games on Monday and Tuesday.

--The Dodgers announced that they will extend the protective netting at their stadium ahead of the team's return home on Sept. 2.

The club already replaced the nets behind home plate and above each dugout with a 33-foot net, and this week, those nets will be extended by an additional 124 feet, stretching from both dugouts to the bend in front of the baseline seating.

The Dodgers are the latest club to extend the netting at their park. The Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Washington Nationals have increased their netting near the foul poles, and the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates have also stated plans to increase their protective netting.

--Field Level Media

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