Tyler Skaggs was an opioid addict for at least six years prior to the Los Angeles Angels pitcher’s 2019 death, an addiction expert testified on Wednesday, Dec. 10 in the ongoing wrongful death trial against the team .

While those around Skaggs — including family, his agent, fellow players and Angels staff — didn’t see any obvious outward signs of addiction during Skaggs’ time with the organization, Dr. Elie Aoun testified that many people with addictions remain “high functioning.”

“Not everyone with an addiction is going to be a homeless person under a bridge shooting heroin,” said Dr. Aoun, a psychiatrist and Columbia University professor who testified as an expert on behalf of the Angels. “Many people with addictions are under the radar.”

Eric Smith, a teammate of Skaggs when both w

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