FORT WORTH, Texas — Former Angels communications director Eric Kay was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison Tuesday after being convicted of providing counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl that led to the overdose death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs.
The sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means followed an investigation and trial that brought Major League Baseball face to face with the country’s opioid epidemic. Kay, 48, faced a mandatory minimum of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum of life.
Prosecutors alleged Kay provided opioids to Skaggs and at least five other professional baseball players since 2017. Several players testified during the trial about obtaining and using illicit oxycodone pills, called “blues” or “blue boys” because of their color.
