Cincinnati Reds pitcher Wade Miley declined to directly respond Friday to a claim made in court documents that he supplied painkillers to former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who died in 2019 from a drug overdose.
The allegation came from Ryan Hamill, Skaggs’ former agent, who stated during a deposition that Skaggs admitted to using oxycodone pills allegedly given to him by Miley. The deposition is part of an ongoing wrongful death lawsuit filed by Skaggs’ family against the Angels in California.
This legal action follows the earlier conviction of Eric Kay, a former Angels communications director, who was found guilty of supplying the fentanyl-laced pills that contributed to Skaggs’ death. Kay is currently serving a 22-year federal prison sentence.
Skaggs passed away in a hotel room near Dallas just before the Angels were scheduled to begin a series against the Texas Rangers. His death was ruled an accidental overdose caused by a combination of alcohol, fentanyl, and oxycodone.
Speaking to reporters before the Reds’ game in Detroit, Miley expressed sympathy but refused to comment on the specific claims made against him.
“I hate what happened to Tyler,” Miley said. “It’s tragic. My heart goes out to his family and friends. But I’m not going to discuss things that someone may have said about me. I was never a witness, I’ve never been accused of anything.”
Miley is not facing any criminal charges. His name had surfaced previously during the sentencing phase of Kay’s trial when prosecutors introduced a recorded conversation between Kay and his mother, in which Kay claimed Miley was one of Skaggs’ sources for drugs.
“I’m focused on the Cincinnati Reds and preparing for Sunday’s game,” Miley added. “That’s where my attention is.”
This is not the first time players have been linked to Skaggs’ drug use. Former MLB pitcher Matt Harvey testified during Kay’s trial that he had given Skaggs drugs and later served a 60-day suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy. Harvey hasn’t played in the major leagues since. Other players also testified they had received pills from Skaggs and shared accounts of drug use within the Angels’ clubhouse.
Harvey was Skaggs’ teammate with the Angels in 2019, while Miley and Skaggs had played together earlier with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012 and 2013.
Hamill said Skaggs made the claim about Miley during a 2013 conversation after Hamill and Skaggs’ parents confronted him over concerning behavior. It was during this exchange that Skaggs allegedly admitted drug use and named Miley as a source.
Now 38, Miley recently signed a one-year deal with the Reds after recovering from Tommy John surgery in May 2024. He initially joined Cincinnati on a minor league contract in February and exercised an opt-out clause when he wasn’t promoted by June 1. However, he stayed with the team and re-signed shortly after, making two starts this season.
