It was one year ago on July 1, 2019, that Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died of a drug overdose at age 27 — a tragedy with ripple effects still being felt today.
But his memory and legacy live on through the Tyler Skaggs Foundation. The organization was started this year “to empower young people through the gift of sports by supporting athletic programs and other initiatives that provide the tools to build confidence, teamwork and leadership skills.”
The foundation’s programs so far include a batting cage at North Venice Little League, where Skaggs played as a kid; sponsorship of a travel team made up of players from that Little League; sponsoring student athletes on a mission trip to Kenya; and providing meals during the coronavirus pandemic for children in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.