In court documents, Cincinnati Reds left-handed pitcher Wade Miley has been accused of supplying drugs to the late Tyler Skaggs, pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels, who died of an accidental overdose in 2019.
Ryan Hamill, Skaggs’ former agent, stated in a deposition that Skaggs informed him that he was consuming pain pills containing oxycodone, which were provided by Miley.
This deposition is part of a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Skaggs’ family against the Angels in California. Eric Kay, a former Angels publicist, was convicted in Texas for providing the fentanyl pills that, according to the autopsy, contributed to Skaggs’ death. Kay was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison.
Skaggs was found dead in the team hotel in a Dallas suburb, hours before the start of a series between the Angels and the Texas Rangers.
Miley, 38, is not facing criminal charges, and this is not the first time her name has been linked 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 mentioned Miley as one of Skaggs’ drug suppliers.
The Reds did not issue comments on Thursday, and Miley was not available for comment.
Matt Harvey, now a retired Major League pitcher, testified during Kay’s trial that he provided drugs to Skaggs. Harvey was suspended for 60 days for violating the MLB’s drug policy and did not pitch in the Major Leagues again. Harvey and three other players also stated that they received pills from Skaggs and described the recreational drug use they witnessed while with the Angels.
Harvey and Skaggs were teammates with the Angels in 2019. Skaggs and Miley were teammates with the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2012 to 2013.
Hamill reported that the conversation in which Skaggs implicated Miley took place in 2013. Hamill expressed his concern to Skaggs’ parents about what he described as erratic behavior of the pitcher in a phone conversation. Hamill said that he and Skaggs’ parents confronted Skaggs at his home, which led Skaggs to admit that he was using drugs and to accuse Miley of supplying them.
Miley signed a one-year contract 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 a release clause if he didn’t make the Major Leagues before June 1. The 14-year veteran executed that clause, but remained with Cincinnati while he sought potential deals with other clubs before re-signing with the Reds.
