The Latest: Players' emotional responses after first game since Tyler Skaggs' death
The emotions ran high, and the Los Angeles Angels played with heavy hearts in Tuesday's 9-4 victory over the Texas Rangers.
The sudden death of 27-year-old starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs was felt throughout the game's 4 hours and 12 minutes, with many players sharing mourning moments in getting back to baseball. Skaggs was found dead in his Southlake, Texas, hotel room Monday and left the entire organization shell-shocked.
Playing wasn't the hard part. It was playing without their fallen teammate. Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun blasted a two-run homer in the eighth inning and emotionally pointed his fingers to the sky.
"We know we've got an Angel watching over us now," he told reporters afterwards.
Here's a look at how the team handled everything Tuesday:
Why they chose to play
The teams canceled their Monday game that had been scheduled to begin just hours after Skaggs was found unresponsive and declared dead by local police. An autopsy, the results of which a medical examiner told Paste BN could take until October, followed Tuesday. But the team committed to playing again.
"It's like a punch in the heart," Angels owner Arte Moreno said. "These kids are like family."
General manager Billy Eppler talked with players and came to the conclusion that Skaggs would want them to play Tuesday at Arlington.
Players wore patches bearing Skaggs' "45" on their jerseys and carried his jersey onto the field with them before a powerful moment of silence, which was followed by many more throughout the night.
"We wanted to take him out there with us one more time," said pitcher Andre Heaney.
A quieter game than normal
The Rangers had spray-painted "45" in red and black on the Globe Life Park pitching mound, and were compassionate hosts — nixing all pump-up music and most of the in-game festivities to show the proper tone.
Rangers public-address announcer Chuck Morgan avoided lineup hype, dot races, and fireworks signaling home runs.
"It felt different, there’s no doubt," Rangers manager Chris Woodward said of the silence before each batter. "But we felt like that was the right thing to do for them. To not make it too much hoopla in the game."
"You run out there and nobody knows what to do — whether you cheer," added Rangers pitcher Mike Minor. "It was just one of those games."
When closing pitcher Hansel Robles got the final out to snap the team's three-game losing streak, Angels manager Brad Ausmus and the coaching staff lined up in front of the team’s dugout and hugged each player as they walked off the field.
Tears, memories flow after game
Angels star Mike Trout was emotional in a postgame news conference in which several players gathered to talk about Skaggs.
"My first at-bat, I get up there, and all I do is think about him, you know," Trout said after the game, his nose running and voice cracking. "It’s going to be tough these couple days, the rest of our season, the rest of our lives."
Teammates imagined what Skaggs, in his spirit, would say of their latest win and now .500 (43-43) season record.
The unanimous conclusion: "That’s naaaaasty." Angels players laughed as they joined in his signature phrase, their smiles recalling the smile Skaggs so often gave them when he reassured them. But tears returned quickly. Trout squeezed left fielder Justin Upton’s shoulder as he paused mid-comment, in tears, to gather his emotions.
"There was no more energy than he brought," Upton said. "Honestly, there was nobody happier in the ball game than Skaggs every time he came off the mound and he just got done pitching."