Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs has died

Major league baseball players are young men, ages about 20 to 40, in the prime of their physical prowess and presumably in excellent health.

That is why this announcement this afternoon from the Los Angeles Angels is so stunning:

Tyler Skaggs was a first-round pick of the Angels (40th overall) in 2009 and was traded to the Diamondbacks, for whom he pitched in two seasons, before being traded back to the Angels in 2013.

He pitched against the Cubs this year at Wrigley Field on April 12, though I cannot say I have any specific memories of him in that game. It was just another regular-season ballgame. No one thinks that any of those young men is going to be gone less than three months later.

My sincere condolences to Skaggs’ wife and family, friends, fans, his Angels teammates and the entire Los Angeles Angels family, as well as to our friends at the SB Nation Angels site Halos Heaven. There’s not much more I can say, I think, other than that I’m very sad that this has happened. Tyler Skaggs was just 27 years old.

UPDATE: Here’s a statement from Commissioner Rob Manfred.

“I am deeply saddened by today’s tragedy in Texas. 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.”