Tyler Skaggs’ Drug-Related Deaths in Focus
There have been recent developments regarding the drug-related deaths of Tyler Skaggs, which now involve current MLB players. Wade Miley, a left-handed pitcher with the Cincinnati Reds, has been accused of supplying drugs to Skaggs, who tragically passed away from an overdose in 2019.
According to Ryan Hamill, Skaggs’ former agent, Skaggs had been taking painkillers laced with oxycodone that were allegedly given to him by Miley. This allegation is part of a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Skaggs’ family against the Los Angeles Angels, his former team. It’s worth noting that Skaggs and Miley were teammates during their time with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012 and 2013.
In a separate but related case, Eric Kay, a former spokesperson for the Angels, was convicted in Texas for providing pills containing fentanyl that were found during an autopsy on Skaggs. Kay was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison in 2022 for his role in this tragic situation.
Notably, while Miley’s name has come up before in discussions related to Skaggs’ death, he has not faced any criminal charges as of now. During the trial of Kay, prosecutors cited conversations that pointed to Miley as being one of Skaggs’ drug suppliers.
There were also admissions from former New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey during Kay’s trial, where he acknowledged having supplied drugs to Skaggs. Harvey, along with other players including CJ Cron, Mike Morin, and Cam Bedrosian, testified about receiving drugs from Kay, revealing a troubling culture of drug use among some players.
In terms of his career, Miley recently signed a one-year contract with the Reds and has made two starts this season. He underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in May 2024, and earlier this year, signed a minor league contract with Cincinnati.
The Reds have not issued a comment on the situation, and it’s unclear what Miley’s response will be. Skaggs was only 27 years old when he died in a hotel room in South Lake, Texas, prior to a game against the Texas Rangers.
