Former Chicago Cubs Reliever Named as Tyler Skaggs’ Drug Supplier

Former Chicago Cubs pitcher Wade Miley was named in a civil suit brought by the family of late pitcher Tyler Skaggs on Thursday.

The wrongful death suit is being brought by Skaggs’ family. The pitcher died in 2019 of a fatal dose of fentanyl in pills that were provided to him by a former Los Angeles Angels publicist, Eric Kay.

Kay was convicted and sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for contributing to Skaggs’ death.

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In a deposition in court on Thursday, Skaggs’ former agent, Ryan Hamill, testified that he was told by Skaggs that he was using pain medication with oxycodone and that Miley was supplying the pills. The Associated Press was among the outlets reporting the testimony.

Skaggs and Miley were teammates with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012 and 2013. Miley’s name also came up as a drug supplier in Kay’s sentencing.

The testimony doesn’t tie Miley to Skaggs’ fatal overdose and he is not facing charges as a result of the suit. But it does bring the former Cubs reliever into the overall case as Skaggs’ family seeks damages for their family member’s death.

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Miley played for the Cubs after Skaggs’ death. He joined the team in 2022 and went 2-2 with a 3.19 ERA in nine starts with 28 strikeouts and 14 walks in 37 innings. He spent much of that season on the injured list, first with left elbow inflammation and later with a left shoulder strain, the latter of which ended his season.

Miley is currently playing for the Cincinnati Reds and was not made available for comment on Thursday. He has been working his way back from Tommy John surgery last season. He joined the Reds to start the season as a minor leaguer, asked for his released after failing to make the Major League team and then rejoined them earlier this month.

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He made his Major League debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011 and spent four seasons with the franchise. From there, he played for the Boston Red Sox (2015), the Seattle Mariners (2016), the Baltimore Orioles (2016-17), the Milwaukee Brewers (2018, 2023-24), the Houston Astros (2019), the Reds (2020-21) and the Chicago Cubs (2022).

He is 109-99 with a 4.09 ERA and 1,363 strikeouts for his career. He also threw a no-hitter in 2021.

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