The latest revelations in the wrongful death lawsuit surrounding former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs have added another unexpected wrinkle, according to The Athletic’s Sam Blum. Wade Miley, a 15-year MLB veteran currently pitching for the Cincinnati Reds, has been named in court filings as a potential past supplier of prescription drugs to Skaggs during their time together on the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Skaggs’ Agent Points to Miley in Deposition
The allegation comes from Ryan Hamill, Skaggs’ former agent. He testified in a deposition that Skaggs admitted to receiving Percocet from Miley back in 2013. At the time, both pitchers were teammates on the Diamondbacks. “He came clean,” Hamill said. “He said he had been using — I believe it was Percocets — and he said he got them through Wade Miley.”
Miley, through his agent, declined to comment on the matter. It’s important to note that the veteran left-hander has not been charged with any crime or formally accused of wrongdoing.
Not the First Time Miley’s Name Has Surfaced
This isn’t the first time Miley has come up in the Skaggs investigation. During Eric Kay’s criminal trial—Kay being the Angels’ former communications director, now serving 22 years for distributing the drugs that led to Skaggs’ overdose—prosecutors submitted a prison phone call in which Kay told his mother that Miley had been a drug source for Skaggs.
While the phone call and Hamill’s testimony raise serious questions, there’s no evidence at this point that Miley is under investigation. Still, the association puts him in uncomfortable proximity to one of MLB’s darkest recent scandals.
Angels Continue to Deny Organizational Responsibility
The inclusion of Miley’s name was part of a broader filing by the Angels aiming to get the wrongful death lawsuit dismissed. In that motion, the team argued that Skaggs’ history of procuring drugs from multiple sources—teammates included—should absolve the organization of responsibility for his 2019 death.
Their position is that Skaggs’ actions reflect “unclean hands,” making negligence claims invalid. “Under the law, it is significant that Tyler Skaggs struggled with addiction for nearly a decade and knowingly used drugs from multiple different unsecured and illegal sources,” wrote Angels’ lawyer Todd Theodora.
Public Access to Confidential Records Sparks Courtroom Drama
Court staff mistakenly uploaded more than 1,000 pages of confidential documents to the public portal, revealing a significant portion of these new details. The Skaggs family’s attorneys insisted the release was a clerical error. But the Angels’ lawyers pushed back, asking the court to bar The Athletic from reporting on the contents.
The court denied that request, citing First Amendment protections. Still, the moment underscores just how sensitive and contentious this legal battle remains, especially with a $210 million judgment on the line.
Miley’s Future in Limbo Amid Ongoing Fallout
For Miley, the damage may already be done. Even if he faces no legal consequences, being named in documents tied to Skaggs’ opioid use raises serious reputational concerns. The 38-year-old recently returned from injury to make his 2025 debut with the Reds. There’s no indication the team will take any disciplinary action, at least for now.
But given MLB’s increased scrutiny on opioids following Skaggs’ death and the federal trial of Eric Kay, Miley’s situation bears monitoring. The court of public opinion tends to move faster than legal systems. Simply naming him in this context could have a ripple effect throughout the league.
MLB’s Opioid Reckoning Isn’t Over Yet
What’s clear is that the fallout from Skaggs’ tragic death is far from over. New names, new allegations, and new details continue to emerge from both sides of the lawsuit. And even if the courts don’t legally implicate Wade Miley, these filings linking him to Skaggs will likely haunt him for the rest of his career.
As the case unfolds, witnesses are expected to give more testimony that could either corroborate or refute Hamill’s claim. Until then, Miley finds himself unexpectedly at the center of one of MLB’s most devastating chapters.
Reds Pitcher Named in Wrongful Death Lawsuit of Former Teammate