Wade Miley, a former player for the Orioles, is implicated in legal documents for allegedly supplying drugs to Tyler Skaggs, a pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels who tragically passed away from an accidental overdose in 2019.
In a deposition, Skaggs’ former agent, Ryan Hamill, stated that Skaggs had informed him he was taking pain pills containing oxycodone that were provided by Miley.
This deposition forms part of a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Skaggs’ family against the Angels in California. Additionally, Eric Kay, a former publicist for the Angels, was found guilty in Texas of supplying the fentanyl-laced pills that an autopsy indicated played a role in Skaggs’ death. Kay received a 22-year sentence in federal prison.
Skaggs died in a hotel in a suburb of Dallas, and his body was discovered just hours before the beginning of a series between the Angels and the Texas Rangers.
Miley is not facing criminal charges, and it’s not the first time his name has come up in relation to Skaggs’ death. During the sentencing phase of Kay’s case, prosecutors used a recording of a conversation between Kay and his mother in which Kay said Miley was one of Skaggs’ drug suppliers.
The Reds had no comment Thursday, and Miley wasn’t immediately available for comment.
Matt Harvey, a retired major league pitcher, testified during Kay’s trial that he supplied drugs to Skaggs. Following this, he was suspended for 60 days for breaching MLB’s drug policy and never pitched in the major leagues again. Harvey, along with three other players, also testified about receiving pills from Skaggs and recounted the recreational drug use they observed while playing for the Angels.
In 2019, Harvey and Skaggs were teammates on the Angels, while Skaggs and Miley were teammates with the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2012 to 2013.
The Orioles obtained Miley from the Seattle Mariners during the 2016 MLB trade deadline, and he recorded a 6.17 ERA in 54 innings for the team that season.
The following year, he made 32 starts with a 5.61 ERA before entering free agency and signing with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Hamill stated that the conversation in which Skaggs implicated Miley occurred in 2013. He had voiced concerns to Skaggs’ parents regarding what he described as erratic behavior from the pitcher during a phone call. Hamill mentioned that he and Skaggs’ parents confronted Skaggs at home, which led to Skaggs admitting he was using drugs and claiming that Miley was the one supplying them.
The 38-year-old Miley signed a one-year deal with the Reds on June 4 and has made two starts this season. He underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in May 2024 and signed a minor league contract with Cincinnati in February.
Miley had an opt-out clause if he hadn’t reached the major leagues by June 1. The 14-year veteran chose to execute that clause but stayed with Cincinnati while exploring potential opportunities with other teams before re-signing with the Reds.
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