In recent developments, Cincinnati Reds’ pitcher Wade Miley has chosen not to elaborate on a charge detailed in court documents, citing him in relation to drug provision to the late Tyler Skaggs, a former Los Angeles Angels pitcher who passed away in 2019 due to an accidental overdose.
The testimony from Ryan Hamill, Skaggs’ former agent, includes a claim that Skaggs confessed to him about using painkillers containing oxycodone, supposedly supplied by Miley. This testimony is part of a wrongful death suit initiated by Skaggs’ family against the Angels, linked to the conviction of Eric Kay, an ex-publicist for the team. Kay was found guilty of distributing fentanyl-laced pills, which were ruled to have contributed to Skaggs’ death, and he is currently serving a 22-year federal prison sentence.
Tyler Skaggs tragically passed away in a hotel in the Dallas area, just hours before a scheduled series opener between the Angels and the Texas Rangers. During a media session before the Reds’ matchup in Detroit, Miley expressed his sorrow over Skaggs’ fate, emphasizing his condolences to the bereaved family but refused to discuss allegations tied to his name. “I was never a witness for any of this. I’ve never been accused of any wrongdoing,” Miley asserted firmly.
While Miley has not been subject to any criminal investigation, his name has been mentioned previously concerning Skaggs’ untimely death. During Eric Kay’s trial, evidence was presented that included a recorded conversation where Kay allegedly named Miley as one of Skaggs’ drug providers. Miley prefers to concentrate on his baseball duties, mentioning, “I’d rather just focus on the Cincinnati Reds right now and baseball and what I have to do moving forward. I’ve got to get ready for a game on Sunday.”
Furthermore, Matt Harvey, a now-retired major league pitcher, admitted during Kay’s trial to supplying drugs to Skaggs. Harvey faced a 60-day suspension for breaching MLB’s drug policy and did not return to major league pitching afterward. He and three other players testified about their receipt of pills from Skaggs, revealing the extent of recreational drug use observed within the Angels’ environment.
Harvey and Skaggs were teammates in the 2019 Angels roster, while Skaggs and Miley both played for the Arizona Diamondbacks between 2012 and 2013. Hamill’s account suggests that Skaggs’ admittance to drug usage and implicating Miley as a supplier occurred during a family-initiated intervention in 2013, spurred by concerns raised by Hamill about Skaggs’ erratic behavior.
In a more recent turn in his career, the 38-year-old Miley inked a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds on June 4, having participated in two games this season. After undergoing Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in May 2024, Miley signed a minor league deal with Cincinnati earlier this year. Despite an opt-out clause allowing for a release if not promoted to the major league level by June 1, Miley stayed with the Reds before re-joining them officially.