Cincinnati Reds pitcher Wade Miley recently addressed recent allegations that he supplied drugs to late pitcher Tyler Skaggs, whose overdose death in 2019 sparked a wrongful death lawsuit. Skaggs’ former agent, Ryan Hamill, stated in a deposition that Skaggs had been using pain pills containing oxycodone, which were allegedly provided by Miley. Miley, who is not facing criminal charges, reiterated that he has never been accused of any wrongdoing and that he is not commenting further on the matter.
The allegations emerged as part of the ongoing legal proceedings against former LA Angels publicist Eric Kay, who was convicted of supplying fentanyl-laced pills that contributed to Skaggs’ death. Kay was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison in 2022. 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.
Former New York Mets ace Matt Harvey admitted during Kay’s trial that he had supplied drugs to Skaggs. The two were teammates with the Angels in the year of Skaggs’ death. Harvey, C.J. Cron, Mike Morin, and Cam Bedrosian also testified that they had been provided drugs by Kay. Harvey and three other players also described the recreational drug use they witnessed while with the Angels.
Miley, 38, signed a one-year contract with the Reds on June 4 and has made two starts this season. He had Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in May 2024 and signed a minor league deal with Cincinnati in February. Skaggs was 27 when he was found in a hotel room in Southlake, Texas, before the Angels were set to play the Texas Rangers.
The case highlights the broader issue of prescription drug abuse within Major League Baseball, where the use of performance-enhancing drugs has been a long-standing concern. The wrongful death lawsuit against the Angels reflects the ongoing legal and ethical challenges faced by sports organizations in addressing internal drug use and its tragic consequences.