Tyler Skaggs will be on everyone’s minds, and some backs, this weekend

Tyler Skaggs wore the name “Swaggy” on the back of his jersey during MLB Players’ Weekend the past two years.

The Angels pitcher died at age 27 on July 1, so there will be no “Swaggy” on the field when the league honors its players this Friday-Sunday. Instead, every player will be wearing a uniform patch in memory of Skaggs this weekend.

But nine athletes wanted to do more to pay tribute to their friend, and their jersey nicknames seemed like the perfect way to do so.

According to MLB.com, Milwaukee Brewers outfielders Ryan Braun and Christian Yelich and third baseman Mike Moustakas, Chicago White Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty, Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried, and Texas Rangers first baseman Scott Heineman will wear “LOVE YOU TY” on the backs of their jerseys, rather than their previously selected nicknames, during one of the three games.

In addition, Washington Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin and Rangers reliever Jesse Chavez will wear “FORTY FIVE,” Skaggs’ jersey number, as their nicknames one time this weekend.

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Fans create a makeshift memorial for Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Fans place flowers at a growing memorial for Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Angels fan Eric Lopez brings flowers to a growing memorial for Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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An Angels fan pays his respects by lighting candles at a growing memorial at Angel Stadium.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs towels off before the game against the Minnesota Twins at Angel Stadium on May 11, 2018.  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Tim McCann, of Anaheim, views a memorial to Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs on the Big A at Angel Stadium.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Angels fans leave items at a growing memorial for Tyler Skaggs at Angel Stadium.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Karl Arriola, left, and his son, Jonathan, of Santa Ana, spend a quiet moment at a growing memorial for Tyler Skaggs at Angel Stadium.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Angels fans Reza Agahi, 18, left, William St. Marseille, 18, center, and Grant Gaynor, 18, all of Anaheim, spend a quiet moment looking at a sign and growing memorial for Tyler Skaggs at Angel Stadium.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Angels fan Nancy Dodson of Garden Grove spends a quiet moment by herself at a growing memorial for Tyler Skaggs at Angel Stadium.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs is congratulated in the dugout after finishing pitching against the Rangers at Angel Stadium on June 3, 2018.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Santa Monica High School’s Tyler Skaggs pitches against Diamond Ranch High School at Santa Monica High School on May 16, 2008.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

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Tyler Skaggs of the Angels delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium on June 23, 2019, in St. Louis.  (Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)

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Tyler Skaggs of the Angels can be seen in the dugout during the third inning of the game against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium on June 29, 2019.  (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images)

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Tyler Skaggs of the Angels pitches in Angel Stadium in Anaheim.  (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images)

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Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs watches from the bench in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Detroit on May 8, 2019.  (Paul Sancya / Associated Press)

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Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs throws to an Oakland Athletics batter during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim on June 29, 2019.  (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

“Players’ Weekend is all about expressing yourself, whether that be with style or those types of things,” Giolito told MLB.com. “We just want to express our love for him.”

Giolito, Fried and Flaherty all come from Santa Monica — as did Skaggs, who was a few years older than those players and served as a mentor to them during the offseason.

The three had recently started discussing the idea of using their Players’ Weekend nicknames to honor Skaggs.

“We just got to talking and reached out to the reps at the Players’ Assn. to see if they thought it could be doable,” Fried told MLB.com. “We had already put our names in, but just to be able to do this for one night to pay our respects and give him a nice tribute is something we wanted to do.”

Angels

Angels’ return to Texas a jarring reminder of Tyler Skaggs’ death

Pitcher Tyler Skaggs died in his hotel room July 1 when the Angels visited the Texas Rangers. Now they are back in Arlington, and the memories are vivid.

Aug. 19, 2019

Soon other players followed their lead. Angels players all wore Skaggs’ name and jersey number on their backs during their first home game after his death; now athletes from several other teams will pay tribute in a similar fashion.

“It’s amazing that he touched so many different lives on so many different teams, just because of who he is as a person,” said Chavez, who played with Skaggs in Anaheim two seasons ago. “MLB is allowing us to do this, and it’s awesome.”