Teammates, Family, Friends Mourn Angels Pitcher Tyler Skaggs At Santa Monica Funeral
SANTA MONICA (CBSLA) — A private funeral was underway in Santa Monica for Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs Monday.
Teammates, friends, and relatives packed St. Monica Catholic Church in Skagg's hometown of Santa Monica.
The Los Angeles Angels mourned the 27-year-old pitcher as the team had Monday off.
His wife Carli and mother Debbie could be seen being escorted into the church as the service began.
"Tyler, my most handsome husband and love of my life, you showed me what real love is," said Carli Skaggs from inside the church.
Carli and Tyler spent six years together and were married last Fall.
Skaggs spent two years pitching for Arizona and five years with the Angels.
He was the Angels pitcher with the most wins and strikeouts when he was found unresponsive in his hotel room on an Angels road trip three weeks ago.
Angels pitcher Andrew Heaney called him "a man of intense self-confidence nobody could match."
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun missed his team's Monday night's game to attend the funeral.
Skaggs and Braun are both Southern California natives and workout buddies.
Inside the church, Skaggs was remembered for not only being a great player but being a great person,
"He was the best friend anybody could ask for," said Heaney.
More than a dozen people spoke at the Monday funeral service, lasting more than two hours.
"The service was absolutely beautiful. We were laughing. We were crying," said long-time friend Gabi Farrell.
Amanda Arreola said he "was exactly as they described him today. Fun-loving, giving, hysterical, very confident."
Farrell and Arreola knew Skaggs since he was a young boy.
Carli Skaggs didn't plan on speaking at the funeral but ended up paying the final tribute to her late husband.
"I will love you until my last breath. Until we are together again. Miss you babe," she said.
No cause of death has been determined.