Los Angeles Angels Pitcher Tyler Skaggs Death Not a Suicide, Southlake Police Department Confirms

There is no official cause of death to report as of yet for Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler [...]

By Libby Birk

There is no official cause of death to report as of yet for Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs following his sudden death on Monday, although the Southlake Police Department confirmed that "it does not appear at this time that suicide was the cause of death."

Police also said that no foul play is suspected.

An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday after the 27-year-old MLB player was found dead in his Texas hotel room on Monday, just 12 days short of his 28th birthday. The Angels and Texas Rangers were scheduled to begin a four-game series Monday night but the game was postponed upon Skaggs' death.

"It is with great sorrow that we report Tyler Skaggs passed away earlier today in Texas," a statement by the Angels said on Monday. "Tyler has, and always will be, an important part of the Angels Family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family during this devastating time."

"Words cannot express the deep sadness we feel right now," Angels center fielder Mike Trout said on Twitter. "Our thoughts and prayers are with [Skaggs' wife] Carli and their families. Remembering him as a great teammate, friend and person who will remain in our hearts forever. We love you, 45."

Skaggs was found dead in his hotel room at the Hilton Hotel in Southlake, Texas on Monday. Police were called to the hotel at 2:18 p.m., according to a spokesman from the Southlake Police Department.

Others players across the league expressed their sorrow on social media.

"My heart is crushed," Rangers center fielder Delino DeShields said on Instagram. "Life is so unpredictable and we should never take anything for granted. This isn't just a loss just for the Los Angeles Angels but a loss for our entire baseball family and community. It was a pleasure to have competed against you over the past 5 years. You were a true competitor and my thoughts and prayers will forever be with you and your family. Rest in paradise, brother."

Cleveland Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer, who spent time in the minors with Skaggs while they were with the Arizona Diamondbacks, also dedicated a tribute to him.

"We came up together. We won together. We laughed and celebrated together," Bauer tweeted. Today, we all lose and mourn together. Your memory, your love for life, everything that made you, you, will live forever in the hearts and minds of those who knew you. Rest In Peace brother. We love you."

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred also shared his condolences in a news release.

"I am deeply saddened by today's tragedy in Texas," the statement said. "All of us at Major League Baseball extend our deepest condolences to Tyler's wife, Carli, their family, their friends and all of his Angels' teammates and colleagues. We will support the Angels' organization through this most difficult period, and we will make a variety of resources available to Tyler's teammates and other members of the baseball family."

The Angels dealt with another shocking death in 2009 when pitcher Nick Adenhart died along with two other people in an April 2009 car crash for which a drunken driver was convicted of murder and sentenced to 51 years to life in 2010. Last December, infielder Luis Valbuena, whom the Angels had released the preceding August, was killed in Venezuela alongside former major leaguer Jose Castillo in a case crash caused by highway bandits.

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